


A Day In The Life

by Unbreakable92



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adorable Tony, Adorable Tony Stark, Agent Carter References, Agent Carter Spoilers, Aunt Peggy Carter, Awesome Edwin, Awesome Edwin Jarvis, Awesome Peggy, Awesome Peggy Carter, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Kid Fic, Kid Tony, Kid Tony Stark, Minor Peggy Carter/Daniel Sousa, Past Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Protective Peggy Carter, Self-Esteem Issues, Sleepy Cuddles, Sleepy Tony, Sleepy Tony Stark, Spoilers, That last tag so needs to be used more, Tired Tony Stark, Tony Angst, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Cuddles, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony-centric, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, bottles, complete and utter fluff, protective peggy, tired tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-09-27 18:55:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10039973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unbreakable92/pseuds/Unbreakable92
Summary: After months of organising, Peggy finally gets to take her adopted nephew and godson, Tony Stark, to work.





	1. A Hard Day's Night

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, my lovelies!
> 
> Two posts in one night! I can't believe it! Yipee!
> 
> Okay, when I was sick, I went on an Agent Carter binge watch and I am officially in love lol. Peggy and Jarvis's relationship is amazing and I couldn't stop imagining them with a baby Tony :). Jarvis is the most lovable goof ever and no wonder Tony loved him. He would have been the best caretaker :)!
> 
> So, first and foremost, MAJOR SPOILERS FOR AGENT CARTER! I've watched both seasons so a LOT will be spoiled if you read this. I don't specify but you would get the general idea.
> 
> Also, know, in my heart of hearts, I always ship Peggy and Steve the hardest. But, since Peggy couldn't be with Steve *sniff sniff*, I do adore Daniel and think, if she couldn't be with Steve, at least she had Daniel. He's adorably sweet.
> 
> So, complete and utter fluff lol! I was sick and it was my birthday so I kind of wrote this for self-comfort lol! I really hope you enjoy. Most of this is written. It just needs to be edited and I had to split it up because it was too long to do in one post.
> 
> I do not own anything Marvel related. I simply write this for fun. And yes, the title is from The Beatles, A Day In The Life. I do not own anything Beatles related or any of the other songs quoted in the story.
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy the fluff. Oh, lord, the fluff :).

While it wasn’t snowing in New York, the bite in the air preceded the event. Peggy didn’t care though. Truthfully, the cold brightened her mind, easing the cloud of anger.

Perhaps anger was the wrong word. Annoyed was more accurate. She knew deep down Daniel hadn’t meant it. Her husband had only been teasing about her decision to keep her last name, as he was prone to do, even after so many years.

This morning though, it had gotten to her. The previous day, she had been dealing with a particularly misogynistic witness, Howard and her had went at it only two days ago and then, Daniel decided to tease her.

He hadn’t known; it wasn’t fair for her to expect him to when she hadn’t told him what a rough few days she’d had. It was just that for her, her name was a part of her identity, something she had worked and worked on building. It wasn’t not wanting to own someone else’s name; it was that to lose Carter would be like to lose some of herself. And she’d worked far too long to never let someone take away a part of her that she wasn’t going to let it go now.

Maybe she should be sitting down and explaining that to him, but this morning, she hadn’t had the time. She needed to head out to pick up Tony for the day. A walk seemed like the perfect excuse to cool down. Though Daniel had apologised and she was aware she was being a little grumpy with him, she had felt too clouded and needed to get out.

Now, she couldn’t wait to see her little nephew and get to spend the day with him. It was the medicine she needed. If she ever felt like a part of her was being lost, Tony had the knack to be able to piece her all back together and let her know how much he loved her. Every single part, not the ones society only wanted her to show or her work valued her for. And Tony did it without even thinking.

Just thinking of her little light brought a bounce to her step and she hurried along, glancing at her watch. The only person she knew who had such a passion for punctuality other than herself was Jarvis. If either of them were late to anything, alarms went up instantly so she made sure to get there several minutes early.

She could see the Starks’ New York mansion, their one of many, long before she reached it. Upon finally reaching it, she keyed in the code to get in the gates with hardly a thought. She had been here more times than she could count, especially after her nephew’s birth.

Peggy could hear Tony’s wails as soon as she let herself in the front door with her own key. By the sounds of the cries, she could tell he wasn’t hurt but was rather upset about something or other. It didn’t make her heart twist any less and she jogged down the familiar expansive hallways of the mansion until she came to a private lounge room. This one was cosier than the others, deep red rugs and soft armchairs decorating the dark grain floorboards, and pleasant cream coloured the walls.

As she expected, there was Jarvis, looking as put together as ever, checker suit, complete with vest and leisure tie. His hair was dishevelled but his kind eyes didn’t show any panic as he cuddled the little boy in his arms. One huge hand practically covered Tony’s crown as he held the toddler against his shoulder.

He was quietly shushing Tony, whose wails had dimmed by the time it took Peggy to get there. A warm smile spread across Jarvis’s face when he saw her. It was the one which always made Peggy realise home could be within a person.

‘Miss Carter, as punctual as ever,’ he greeted, pressing a kiss to Tony’s shaggy, uncombed hair.

‘Mister Jarvis, hogging my nephew as always,’ she grinned, already coming forward with her arms out.

As she predicted, as soon as Tony heard her voice, he turned, reaching blindly out with grabby hands. Amongst the cries, there was a distinct, ‘Aunty,’ thrown in there, chestnut brown eyes bleary with tears.

He looked the picture of misery and Peggy cooed in sympathy, heart twisting a bit tighter. ‘Oh, my little love, what has Mister Jarvis done now? Did he make you have all your breakfast or was it bath time?’

‘Yes, I’m such a cruel caregiver,’ Jarvis remarked dryly, handing Tony off, fingers gently brushing through the chocolaty hair. Despite the butler being hilariously awkward at times, with Tony, Jarvis was always in his element.

Peggy hefted Tony into her arms so he could burrow into the crook of her neck, little fingers clinging into her powder blue suit coat. Miserable sniffles could be heard.

‘Poor, little love has it hard,’ Peggy soothed, officially complete with her nephew in her arms. As she wrapped him up in a large hug, she realised the source of his upset as she comfortingly patted his backside. It sounded with a distinct sound of a diaper.

‘Ah,’ she said understandingly, before shooting Jarvis a concerned look. ‘A rough night?’

Jarvis sighed in sympathy, reaching forward to rub Tony’s shuddering back. ‘A rough weekend,’ he said, but waved his hand soothingly when Peggy’s frown deepened. ‘Ana had to leave on Friday to visit a friend.’

‘Oh, Bubba,’ Peggy sang, pressing a kiss against Tony’s temple, making him snuggle deeper into her. ‘Mrs. Jarvis will most certainly be back and making you Hungarian feasts.’

She only just managed to withhold her chuckle at Jarvis’s pained expression at his wife’s … interesting dishes, swaying on the spot with Tony.

Her poor nephew had the tendency to get stressed easily. People leaving tended to set him right off, particularly when it was Jarvis, Ana or herself. Jarvis had once spent a night away from him and was forced to fly back immediately because Tony hadn’t been able to sleep the whole night, crying continually for his Jarvis.

In turn, it was like it stressed Tony’s body out and he tended to need diapers, to the toddler’s upset. Usually, Jarvis would let him go without at home if he really threw a tantrum about them. But when he was going out with Peggy for the day, it was obviously necessary.

It worried Peggy but Ana assured her it was nothing to worry about.

‘Tony’s a special boy,’ she would say in her sing-song voice. ‘He sees the world differently from how we do. That includes things that we don’t see as a huge ordeal but to his little mind, it most certainly is.’

It was why Peggy was trying to be as much as a constant as possible. With the Starks currently being settled in New York for a while, Peggy had wormed her way on to a case with the SSI New York department. Daniel followed her, appointing his next-in-command to stand in as chief while he was away. With the SSI now being an off-shoot of SHIELD, she had a lot more wiggle room to pick and choose what she wanted to investigate.

Besides, she would put up with Jack Thompson, the chief of the New York department, for the rest of eternity if it got her to spend extra time with her nephew. Jack had mellowed anyhow after surviving being shot in Los Angeles all those years back. She still worked her hardest to get under his skin as he did her; she was happy to say she was comfortably winning in that tally.

Tony finally leaving his hiding place brought her back to her nephew. He blinked wide, plaintive eyes at her, bottom lip trembling terribly, showing he truly wasn’t putting this on.

‘Aunty Peggy,’ he whimpered. ‘Get changed?’

‘My darling, I think Mister Jarvis knows best with this one.’ Peggy hated to say no to that face but she knew Jarvis wouldn’t have distressed him if it wasn’t necessary. While the butler often accused her of folding to Tony’s every whim, Jarvis was notorious for being the biggest softie there was with the toddler. Unless it had to do with Tony’s food consumption. In that aspect, he wouldn’t budge.

Tony’s face began to crumble, more tears welling in his eyes.

‘But that doesn’t mean you can’t come to work with me!’ Peggy exclaimed, giving him an enthusiastic bounce, trying to get the light to start shining again. ‘You’re still coming to Aunty Peggy’s work and are going to make everyone so envious that they don’t have you for a nephew!’

That paused the meltdown for a moment, but Tony’s face screwed up with unsureness. ‘I … I don’t want … um …’ he glanced nervously about before leaning in close to whisper to her. ‘Aunty, don’t want people to think I’m a baby.’ He said it like he was revealing a secret she hadn’t figured out yet.

She held back a fond smile at the little things which were so important to him. She never wanted him to think she was laughing at him.

‘That will not happen, Bubba,’ she said firmly, kissing his sweaty forehead, brushing back the damp strands of hair. It showed he hadn’t long come out of the bath, which wouldn’t have helped his mood at all. ‘If anyone makes that grievous mistake, Aunty Peggy will chat with them and correct them accordingly.’

Jarvis shot her a warning glare over Tony’s head, mouthing, ‘No fighting.’

Peggy cuddled Tony to her for a moment so she could mouth back, ‘Well, not in front of him.’

It did nothing to lower Jarvis’s glare but they dropped the frowns when Tony peeked up at them.

‘Youse arguing again?’ he asked with a hint of his cheeky grin.

‘It’s “Are you both arguing” and no, we are not,’ Jarvis said easily, leaning down to affectionately run the back of his knuckles down the side of Tony’s face. It was something he had done the day Tony was born, like he kept on reassuring himself that the precious little being was still there.

Tony leaned into the touch automatically. But he still had to try one last time to convince Jarvis to come over to his side, chestnut eyes turning begging. ‘I’ll be good, Jarvis,’ he said, voice a little husky from his earlier bout of tears, ‘please? Change?’

Peggy could just about see Jarvis physically wavering but a reluctant sigh made the butler’s gangly shoulders slump. He rubbed Tony’s cheek again.

‘You will always be a good boy. Needing some help doesn’t make you bad. But I am truly sorry, my Anthony, but the diaper stays.’

This time, Tony didn’t hold back from starting his wails again.

‘Anthony,’ Jarvis sighed with fondness, reaching forward to easily pluck Tony into his hold, bouncing up and down, while rubbing the length of the toddler’s back. ‘It really isn’t as bad as all that.’

That got him a watery retort of, ‘Is too!’ but Tony cuddled into him all the same.

Peggy and Jarvis exchanged amused expressions.

‘Shall we?’ Peggy gestured to the door.

When Tony was in this sort of mood, it was better to distract him rather than keep in the moment, reminding him why he was upset in the first place. Luckily, Tony got easily distracted from things, which tended to make his tantrums short-lived. Unless he got it into his head it was a particular slight then the sulking could be quite spectacular.

‘We shall.’ Jarvis nodded. ‘Just let me grab his bags and we shall be on our way.’

‘I can grab those.’ Peggy went to take the two rather large bags but Jarvis immediately snatched them up. She raised an eyebrow at him. ‘Really, Mister Jarvis.’

‘You won’t let me open your door, Miss Carter, so I am at least entitled to carry the bags. Jarvis walked easily with his packages, bags slung over his shoulder while he continued to pat Tony’s backside. The toddler was fairly silent now, hiccupping now and then as he continued to snuggle into his beloved butler.

Peggy rolled her eyes but instead of keeping on that subject, she glanced at the size of the bags. ‘How long do you think this day plans to last for, Mister Jarvis?’

The chilled New York air nipped through Peggy’s jacket as they stepped outside. Jarvis cuddled Tony closer despite the child wearing a sweater and thick jacket.

‘I believe in being prepared for all occasions, Miss Carter.’ Jarvis gave his warm smile. ‘I would think that is something you can relate to.’

She couldn’t be sure which of their adventures he was referring to but it didn’t matter. Every day she knew Jarvis made her unable to contemplate how empty her life was before him. Let alone before Tony.

Smiling softly, she nodded. ‘That I can.’

Jarvis’s own smile widened. Despite his proper behaviour, the man embodied the word warmth. It was no wonder Tony adored him to the ends of the Earth.

Packing the car took no time at all. Trying to get Tony into the baby seat took longer than if they had a willing participant.

Tony insisted he was too big to use a baby seat anymore; Peggy disagreed wholeheartedly. It wasn’t that Jarvis wasn’t a safe driver. The exact opposite actually. But it was always the worry in the back of her mind that if the Starks were ever targeted and one of their cars run off the road, Tony in a baby seat would be kept much safer than out of one. She was prepared to make for an argument to keep him in one as long as possible. Besides, he was only four years old and on the much smaller side.

And Jarvis was an absolute mother hen, fussing over the toddler continually, going with her on the subject completely.

All in all though, Tony didn’t appreciate their highest regard for safety, or his safety to be precise. He wasn’t shy about showing it to them.

‘Oh, love,’ Peggy sighed sympathetically from where she sat in the passenger seat. Turning around, she squeezed Tony’s leg while he wailed as Jarvis managed to strap his wriggling form in.

Immediately, Tony began pushing at the straps and clicking at the buttons but nothing happened. It was discovered when Tony was all of two years old, he had worked out how to undo the straps on a regular baby seat. Jarvis and Peggy were driving with him in Los Angeles when suddenly he crawled into the front and curled into Peggy’s lap. Since then, a high-tech baby seat was invested in where a combination of letters and numbers had to be entered into a little code box for the steel clasps to let go. Peggy had one in her car as well, not that she ever much drove when Jarvis was nearby.

If she ever got that hurt look again when she ordered a taxi that time, it would be too soon for her.

Still though, these facts never stopped Tony from trying to get out, which only increased his cries of frustration when nothing came about to the fruits of his labour.

‘My poor little master,’ Jarvis hummed softly. The distress in his eyes showed how much Tony’s upset was getting to him. ‘It hasn’t been a cheery start to the day for you, has it?’

Tony didn’t answer him. Crying as he held out his arms, he clamped his hands open and closed, begging Jarvis to help him escape.

Thinking fast before he crumbled, Jarvis dug through one of the bags and produced Tony’s well-loved stuffed rabbit, Mr. Peter Rabbit. It had been a gift Peggy gave him the day he was born.

‘Mr. Peter Rabbit?’ Howard had asked disbelievingly, turning the rabbit over and over in his hands. ‘Can you get anymore English?’

‘Since I _am_ English, I really don’t know how to answer that,’ Peggy had shot back but she knew she hadn’t sounded threatening as she cradled her godson for the very first time like he was made of glass.

‘Here’s Mr. Peter Rabbit,’ Jarvis sang, causing Peggy to cover her smile with a hand. The butler was the biggest goof with her nephew; she should know as she certainly had her days caught doing some ridiculous caper to get a grin out of Tony. ‘I’m sure he would love a hug from his favourite little boy.’ The butler raised his voice high, pointedly ignoring Peggy as she swallowed back a laugh, dancing the rabbit in front of Tony like it was actually the toy talking. ‘Why, yes, Anthony, I would most certainly love a hug at the moment.’

Jarvis pressed the rabbit to the sobbing child. A gratified smile passed over his face when Tony latched on to it, cuddling his toy fiercely, bottom lip never stopping trembling.

Peggy melted as she knew Jarvis was. Digging out a sippy cup, he slid the spout into Tony’s mouth with a, ‘Here you are, sweetheart,’ stroking his other hand through Tony’s hair.

Tony’s little hand automatically came up to grab on to the cup and Jarvis took advantage of the distraction. He slipped out, shutting the door and getting in the driver’s side.

‘We have about two minutes’ worth of distractions,’ he murmured to her hurriedly as he started up the car. ‘We have that amount of time to come up with a plan because I warn you, I cannot hold up under this sort of interrogation much longer.’

‘How do you usually get around then, Mister Jarvis?’ Peggy asked with a hint of amusement.

‘I find walking is the best compromise when the young master is in a decidedly passionate mood about the baby seat.’

‘Fair enough,’ Peggy nodded. ‘What about the radio?’

‘Anthony has decidedly select tastes in music. It can be just as traumatising as it can be soothing.’

‘Yes, I have experienced that,’ Peggy murmured thoughtfully, thinking of the time two-year-old Tony burst into tears when she accidentally tuned a radio to one of those horrid Captain America Adventure Time shows. She had to say, she loved his taste.

‘Can you believe he has developed an adverse taste to Benny Goodman?’ Jarvis asked.

‘That I can believe.’

‘You wound me, Miss Carter.’

‘You’ve survived worse, Mister Jarvis.’

Jarvis raised his eyebrows in a mock offended expression, before cracking on.

‘I’ve just had a thought, Miss Carter.’

Peggy glanced sideways. Jarvis appeared far too chuffed after having lost in one of their little wit battles.

‘And what would that be, Mister Jarvis?’

‘Perhaps you could sing him a song?’

Peggy stiffened, turning a slow glare on the butler who was looking far too innocently out of the windscreen as he entered New York traffic.

‘You are surely joshing me? I don’t sing.’

‘By Anthony’s standards, neither do I,’ Jarvis chuckled softly to himself, obviously not as hurt by this fact as his words indicated. ‘He likes _Itsy-Bitsy Spider_ and _Smoke on the Water_.’

‘Smoke on the what?’

‘ _Smoke on the Water_? By Deep Purple? Rather vicious sort of music but puts him to sleep like a baby.’

‘You want me to sing rock music?’

‘I’m sure _Itsy-Bitsy Spider_ would suffice.’

Peggy couldn’t not break into a smile. ‘Yes, I’m sure it would if it was sung by someone who could actually sing. All arguments aside though, he seems settled now.’

She had to go and open her big mouth as a tiny voice made itself heard from the back.

‘Jarvis? Aunty Peggy? Get out now?’

Peggy turned and her shoulders slumped with helpless love at the little boy in the back.

Rabbit firmly in the crook of his arm, Tony sucked on one of its threadbare ears because it had been used for such a purpose. The sippy cup was long forgotten, dropped somewhere in the back and already, she could see the tears threatening to spill.

‘It won’t be long, love,’ she tried to soothe.

Tony’s eyes watered more. ‘Aunty,’ he whimpered. ‘Aunty, out.’

‘Look, Anthony!’ Jarvis exclaimed, pointing out the window. ‘What a pretty building!’

The distraction did nothing but draw Tony’s attention to Jarvis.

‘Jarvis?’ His voice broke as it rose with hope. ‘Out? Please?’

Jarvis glanced beggingly at Peggy.

‘What about a story?’ she suggested over-enthusiastically.

‘Ah!’ Jarvis said cheerily. ‘A story sounds wonderful! What did you have in mind?’

She hadn’t really thought that far ahead. ‘Uh, well … there was the time the Howling Commandos—’

‘Utter one more syllable of a war story in front of the child and it will make the narrative look tame, Miss Carter.’

This was one of those times where Jarvis could not be budged.

‘I would have smoothed off the edges,’ Peggy grumbled, feeling petulant enough to make a face at Jarvis.

It was something she never would have dreamed of doing when they had known each other for only about a year. They had come a long way in the time they had known each other, incredibly comfortable in every which way. The birth of Tony had only brought them closer again.

One of the warm smiles pulled at the corner of Jarvis’s mouth.

‘Aunty Peggy?’ Tony’s voice wobbled in the back. The bottom lip began to tremble.

‘The It-sy, Bit-sy spider,’ Peggy’s voice started to sing without her volition, shaky and unsure as she glanced with fear at Jarvis.

‘Climbed up the water spout,’ Jarvis supplied.

‘Climbed up the water spout,’ Peggy quickly jumped in with only a tad more tune in her voice. If she could call it that.

She glanced back to see how it was going down.

The rabbit ear dropped out of Tony’s mouth as his jaw dropped open. He stared at her, chestnut brown eyes inexplicably wide, completely stilling from all his wriggling. Even his bottom lip had stopped trembling.

Well … he wasn’t _crying_. Peggy was going to take it as a complement.

‘And, and,’ Peggy snapped her fingers at Jarvis, nodding her head.

‘The rain, it came down,’ Jarvis nodded along with her, starting to get into it.

‘Yes, and … washed the spider out?’

‘That’s it!’ Jarvis clapped his hand on the steering wheel in merriment.

They both paused, simultaneously glancing at each other.

‘What happens next?’ Peggy whispered.

Jarvis gave that little look of horror he usually gave when she announced she was about to do something reckless. ‘I haven’t the foggiest.’

And that’s when she heard it. The happiest little chuckle accompanied with clumsy claps.

Both turned back to see Tony with the widest smile on his face, cheeky eyes twinkling while the skin around them crinkled. His legs were kicking happily as he worked on clapping and still holding on to his precious rabbit.

Jarvis practically glowed at seeing his little mate all happy again. Peggy reached back with a laugh, playfully ticking the back of Tony’s leg, behind his knee.

‘Do you like that, mubs?’

Tony’s chuckles deepened and he squirmed into his seat in a half-hearted effort to get away from the tickling fingers. He nodded enthusiastically.

‘Again?’ he asked hopefully.

This was all Jarvis’s fault. From now on, every car ride, they were going to have to become a travelling road show.

She couldn’t bring herself to snark at Jarvis. Tony’s hopeful gaze, so bright and happy, all trauma completely forgotten, was completely worth it.

‘What would you like now, Anthony?’ Jarvis asked, just as smiley as the toddler in the back. They were so connected in that way, feeding off each other’s happiness so easily.

‘The Beatles?’ Tony asked. ‘Please?’

‘Beautiful manners, sweetheart,’ Jarvis beamed in the rear view mirror, causing Tony to squirm happily at the praise. ‘Miss Carter? Care to do the honours?’

Peggy sent him a filthy look. ‘You will pay for this,’ she muttered.

Jarvis didn’t look worried in the least.

There was going to be no commiseration received there. She tilted her head back to address Tony. ‘Of course, my darling. Any particular one?’

Tony tapped his lips thoughtfully with his index finger causing Jarvis and Peggy to exchange another amused look.

‘ _From Me to You_ ,’ he said decidedly, giving a nod, as though that confirmed it.

‘That I can do,’ Peggy said, before launching into it with more gusto, content to have Tony smiling again.

‘You too, Jarvis,’ Tony bounced happily, obviously thrilled to have his own in-house band.

‘Yes, you too, Mister Jarvis!’ Peggy grinned over at the butler.

Jarvis simply smiled and cocked his head back. ‘I didn’t think the little master was a fan of my voice,’ he called back teasingly.

‘Only when you sing opera,’ Tony specified with that brutal child honesty, causing Peggy to gasp on a laugh.

This time, Jarvis actually made a face over at her, which had Tony bursting into more giggles before they started in on their song again. Jarvis certainly wasn’t as horrible as what he described and Peggy kept on feeling laughter bubbling up through her chest at the happiness overwhelming her. For a day that had such a rough start, this was a moment she would always … _always_ remember.

She and Jarvis sang back and forth, doing exaggerated actions as much as the car permitted. Particularly in the ‘Dum-dum-dum-da-da-da’ part when Jarvis threw his head back and went into an operatic voice.

Tony squealed with laughter in the back. ‘No, Jarvis, no,’ he giggled. ‘That’s not how it goes.’

‘Perhaps you could enlighten me, Anthony,’ Jarvis smiled back at him.

Peggy subtly reached over and gave Jarvis’s knee a squeeze, in which Jarvis’s eyes warmed more. Tony was shy when it came to singing or anything more in the arts, despite being a talented drawer and dancer. It was something both Peggy and Jarvis encouraged because Tony should be able to do things not related to science and inventing all of the time.

As always, Jarvis seemed to be able to get the toddler to participate perfectly. He didn’t pressure Tony into anything, which was something he got enough of already. But, instead, Jarvis lead him there in an encouraging and loving way.

It worked like a dream, Tony immediately piping up, singing it the way it should go. The little stinker was pitch-perfect, even going so far as to spread his arms out in true performance style. When he finished, he gave a winning smile, looking every bit the showman he was born to be.

‘Such beautiful singing, my darling!’ Peggy clapped, turning again to smile proudly at her nephew while Jarvis cheered, calling, ‘Bravo! Encore, Mr. Anthony Stark, encore!’

Tony blushed, squirming back into his seat, ducking behind his rabbit. His eyes peeked over the toy at the two of them.

‘Yes, you’re gorgeous,’ Peggy cooed, running her fingers behind his knee again, prompting more wiggling and giggles. ‘The most gorgeous little boy in the world.’

Tony gave her a huge grin, snuggling down deeper, looking decidedly content.

‘And here we are,’ Jarvis announced, pulling into a car space outside of the telephone company cover that hid the SSI,  now one of SHIELD’s departments. ‘Now, was that so bad, young Anthony?’

‘Would’ve been better out of the seat,’ Tony pointed out.

‘You asked for that one,’ Peggy said.

Jarvis shrugged his shoulders easily. ‘That I did.’

When Peggy got out and opened the back door, Tony held his arms out expectantly, wriggling impatiently.

‘Yes, I know, munchkin, you want out,’ Peggy agreed sympathetically, inputting the code as Jarvis organised the bags. ‘We’re almost there.’

‘Then I get to see Aunty’s work?’ Tony asked hopefully, stretching out more to try to get a hold of her.

‘Then you get to see Aunty’s work,’ Peggy said agreeably, unclasping the straps as the clasps popped open, taking Tony into her arms.

Tony wriggled in excitement but Peggy had good hold of him, expecting the reaction.

Her nephew had been _dying_ to see her workplace as soon as he could grasp the understanding of the word ‘agent’. Peggy had thought he was a bit too young though and Jarvis had agreed whole-heartedly. Even Howard looked worried when she brought it up to him once.

However, for Tony’s fourth birthday, instead of a present, he’d begged to spend the day at Aunty Peggy’s work.

‘Like a “Bringing your nephew to work” day,’ he explained excitedly before clasping his hands together. ‘Please, Aunty Peggy? I want to spend the _whole_ day with you!’

And that was how Peggy spent a whole month convincing first Howard (which, much to her chagrin, hadn’t taken much) then Maria then Ana and, god help her, Jarvis (which, much to her frustration, _did_ take a lot), to have Tony spend the day with her at work. She planned it right. There were no huge cases on and no criminals in holding so she was confident in the safe environment.

It was all Tony talked about for a whole month, which was why her heart broke a bit that he’d had such a rough start to the day. Hopefully it would be made up for in the long run though.

‘Here we are, Miss Carter,’ Jarvis announced, having somehow balanced the two bags on the back of a stroller he retrieved from the boot.

Upon seeing the contraption, Tony wrapped his arms firmly around her neck and glared defiantly at Jarvis.

‘No,’ he stated firmly.

‘No,’ Jarvis nodded agreeably. ‘This is just for Miss Carter to be able to cart your bags. You don’t want her to have to carry them, do you?’

Tony raised a dubious eyebrow at the explanation as did Peggy.

‘Fine,’ Jarvis sighed. ‘You can lean it back for him when it’s nap time.’

‘No nap!’ Tony insisted, sitting up straight, demonstrating how awake he was.

‘We’ll negotiate later,’ Peggy offered, giving him a kiss.

Tony grumbled. Luckily, at that moment, two policemen went by on horseback. The child’s eyes were glued to them immediately, leaning his head back to take in the huge beasts.

Taking advantage of his preoccupation, Jarvis pointed at each bag, talking lowly so as not to draw attention back to them.

‘The blue bag is in case he needs a change. The green one has a bottle if he is far too over tired and you can’t get him down for his nap. This compartment has his race cars. This one has his stress ball. You know how he likes to fiddle with things. Oh, and his favourite pencils. I thought you would have paper, but there is some here and—’

‘Mister Jarvis,’ Peggy interrupted kindly, laying a hand on Jarvis’s forearm. ‘You wouldn’t be happening to suffer from empty nest syndrome, would you?’

Jarvis swayed slightly on the spot, his tell for when he was about to divulge something he didn’t want to but felt obliged to. ‘Perhaps,’ he conceded, voice slipping upwards at the end of the word. At Peggy’s soft smile, he immediately added, glancing to his right like he found the telephone company building interesting. ‘Well, he’s had a hard few days. He needs extra care.’

‘Which I will provide for him,’ Peggy murmured, leaning forward to catch Jarvis’s eye. Once she had it, she allowed all their teasing banter to drop and smiled openly at him. ‘You may spend the day worry free, Mister Jarvis. Never will Tony have better care then when with me.’ She added with a wistful touch, ‘Other than yourself.’

Kindness welled up within Jarvis’s eyes. ‘Thank you, Miss Carter,’ he murmured softly, actually reaching up to squeeze her hand back. ‘Truly.’

‘Always,’ Peggy smiled.

Jarvis returned her look, making her feel warm in the chilly New York air. Taking a deep breath, as though centring himself, he rubbed a hand down Tony’s back. It gained the toddler’s attention, before he scooped the boy into his arms, holding Tony up so they were face to face.

Tony grinned adoringly at Jarvis and the butler gave a contented sigh, so full of love for the child. Jarvis always had the sweetest warmth to him but no one stripped the layers back like Tony did. Even though Jarvis and Ana couldn’t have children, there was no doubt that Jarvis was a father.

‘Now, young master,’ Jarvis slipped his finger down Tony’s nose before playfully poking it, gaining a giggle, ‘do you think you can behave for the day for your aunty?’

Tony gave an exaggerated sigh. ‘I suppose I can try,’ he said, an English accent seeping into his tone.

A shocked laugh escaped Peggy. ‘Cheeky boy!’ she scolded jokingly while Jarvis chuckled, showing it wasn’t the first time he’d heard Tony do it.

‘Yes, you can,’ Jarvis said softly, leaning forward to gently rub his nose against Tony’s. The toddler eagerly returned the gesture, the way they always parted company. It was one of the sweetest things Peggy had ever seen. ‘Remember the rules?’

This time, Tony’s sigh wasn’t in exaggeration. ‘Yes, Jarvis.’

‘You stay with Aunty at all times. No running off.’

‘I know, Jarvis.’

‘No touching things that you don’t know what they do.’

‘You told me that, Jarvis.’

‘And if you need to go potty, you tell Aunty.’

Tony blushed deeply. ‘Jarvis!’

‘Oh, mummies are so embarrassing,’ Peggy teased, taking Tony into her arms as he reached anxiously back for her, begging for an escape from the embarrassing conversation.

Jarvis simply smiled at the insult, running a loving hand through Tony’s hair before snapping his fingers. ‘Oh, my goodness, your hair, Anthony. I forgot to brush it.’

Out of nowhere, he whipped out a comb.

‘I said it as a joke before, but you really are a mother,’ Peggy said amusedly, watching as Jarvis fussed over an extremely belligerent Tony.

‘Jarvis!’ Tony whined, attempted to push his butler’s hands away, to no avail. ‘It’s fine! I don’t need it!’

Brushing the last of Tony’s wavy strands into place, Jarvis smiled fondly and gently brushed his knuckles down Tony’s cheek.

‘ _Now_ it’s fine,’ he said softly before taking a deep breath again to steady himself before he nodded to Peggy. ‘Have a lovely day, Miss Carter.’

‘And you, Mister Jarvis,’ Peggy said softly, smiling at the butler as he made his way to the driver’s door. She bounced Tony, who was still grumbling but only slightly. ‘Don’t be like that, darling. Give Mister Jarvis a wave. He’s going to miss you terribly.’

That brought Tony out of it and he gave that messy baby wave, wrist floppy as he waved his hand madly. ‘Bye-Bye, Jarvis,’ he called.

Jarvis brightened immediately. ‘Goodbye, sweetheart,’ he called and the last thing Peggy saw was his warm smile as he slipped into the limousine. After a considerable amount of time, the vehicle pulled away, showing how physically hard it was for Jarvis to leave Tony.


	2. I Want To Hold Your Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Peggy knew would be the case, Tony charms his way into her work place, despite his initial nervousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies :),
> 
> This was actually a fairly quick update :). I'm so happy lol. Again, this is all fluff! This is just me enjoying giving Tony some much-needed love and time with his aunty. I'm also hoping to incorporate a lot of this into I've Got You, where some of Tony's ways with little Bruce will have obviously come from Peggy and Jarvis :). Still, utter, utter fluff lol :).
> 
> Also, I meant to give a shout-out last chapter to Sylbara, who was the inspiration behind Tony being a good artist. Going off Iron Man 1, where Tony draws the prototype, it makes so much sense to me but Sylbara put it into my head and now I am completely attached to the idea! Thank you, Sylbara!
> 
> Anywho, on with the story. And, I"m going with The Beatles theme, so the chapter name their song title.
> 
> So, in the spirit of that, I do not own anything Marvel-related or the songs I am quoting. I do own Jean and Agent Lewis ... though I don't want him.

Despite his earlier bravado, Tony stared unsurely at the spot Jarvis previously occupied, unable to decide whether it was worthy of a reaction or not.

Before he could be swayed to thinking it was, Peggy patted him bracingly on the backside. ‘Now. Would the little man like to walk or would he like to be carried?’

The question effectively distracted Tony as he tilted his head to the side in serious consideration.

‘Walk,’ he said after a moment, wriggling already to get down.

Shaking her head at how Tony simply did things without much pre-thought, she knelt down and slipped his hand into hers. Surprisingly, she didn’t get any complaint. Tony didn’t even tug at her to go faster as she grabbed the stroller and easily steered it one-handed towards the building.

It took her a few moments to realise he was actually nervous about going into her workplace. She had certainly shared a few adventures with him (unbeknownst to Jarvis, of course, and child friendly). The poor little thing was probably in absolute awe that this building was full of _secret_ agents, every little child’s most exciting dream.

‘You’re going to have fun today, darling,’ she shook his hand with enthusiasm, trying to get him to latch on to her excitement and leave his nervousness behind. ‘Some lovely ladies I work with _cannot_ wait to meet you.’

When she told Rose she was bringing Tony to work, the robust woman had turned almost as red as her hair in excitement. Peggy knew Tony would be an absolute hit with all the ladies, as he tended to be. He was absolutely magnetic in his charisma and people couldn’t help be drawn to him. Howard had nothing on him.

‘Some of the men can be silly, but there are some good ones amongst them,’ Peggy carried on.

She had warned Tony some tended to tease her so he had a heads-up. However, she had faith the mouths would be watched with the child near her. Jack knew he was coming as did Daniel.

Jack had never met Tony before while Daniel knew Tony from several events they both attended, courtesy of invitation from Howard. However, it had probably been nearly a year since Daniel met with Tony because of the few high-class missions in Los Angeles while Tony hadn’t strayed from New York for a while. Daniel tried to interact with Tony when they met but the toddler, more baby then, was far too shy, hiding behind Peggy’s dress for refuge.

As she kept up her chatter, Tony finally looked up at her. Worry began to melt away from his face as he listened to her. In no time, he was speeding up and tugging on her hand. Forever bouncing back; forever her little light that could never remain dimmed.

She had never adored someone so much then she did the little boy holding her hand.

However, as soon as they got to the switchboard area with the voices, beeping and clicking, Tony turned around and held up his arms.

‘Up,’ he said firmly.

Hiding a smirk at his no-nonsense attitude, she scooped him up easily. She managed to slip off his thick jacket to lay on the stroller so he would be at a comfortable temperature in his sweater-vest. He peeked out from her hair, as though watching everything in cover.

‘Hello, ladies,’ Peggy greeted easily, not bothering to draw attention to Tony. She knew it wouldn’t take long.

Sure enough, Rose was the one who spotted them.

‘Oh, golly, Peggy, he’s just as gorgeous as you said!’ she cried, out of her seat, headset discarded, causing the other lady on duty to look over as well, Jean. It must have been a slow day for only two to be on duty.

‘He really is.’ Peggy could feel her pride swelling in her little boy, who stared from his safe spot, stiffening at the attention. But he didn’t attempt to hide either, which was an extremely good sign.

‘Gosh, Peg, who’s the little man?’ Jean cooed from her spot, not able to leave by the way she was still hooking up calls.

‘Anthony Stark,’ Peggy grinned as Rose didn’t think twice about leaving her station, slowly approaching them, waving excitedly though she looked more like she wanted to scoop the toddler out of her arms. ‘Also known as Tony. Also known as my godson and nephew.’

Jean grinned and held up one finger. ‘Stay for five minutes while I get these goons sorted. You can’t leave until I get a cuddle.’

Peggy laughed but nodded all the same, turning her attention to Tony, who was watching Rose intensely. However, he actually held up his fingers and waved, little fingers clamping open and closed.

Rose looked like she was about to explode from cuteness, letting out a squeak. ‘Oh, hello, gorgeous, yes, hello! Aren’t you just darling?’ Despite her enthusiasm though, Rose showed such consideration by recognising Tony wanted his space and didn’t approach any closer. ‘What are your plans for the day with your aunty? She tells me you’re a little inventor.’

Now _that_ was the very perfect thing to say to Tony. He perked up, giving a shy nod, thumb brushing against his bottom lip but it didn’t go in.

‘I made a circuit board,’ he mumbled, tucking a little closer to Peggy, who began patting his bottom to comfort him.

‘Golly, I wouldn’t have a clue how to do that,’ Rose shook her head, hands on her hips as she leaned back in shock, playing up her awe. ‘You are one smart cookie, aren’t ya?’

Tony smiled softly. ‘Jarvis and Aunty Peggy say I’m a genius,’ he stated proudly, coming out of his hiding spot more.

Both Rose and Jean laughed brightly at the child’s bluntness. Tony’s grin widened a bit more. He loved making people laugh.

‘Well, little genius,’ Jean beckoned them, ‘how would you like to have at a switchboard and listen to a few geezers ask for tech support?’

Tony lit up, as he always did at the prospect of getting near anything electronic.

‘Aunty?’ he asked, chestnut brown eyes impossibly large with hope.

Peggy warmed at seeing him start to loosen up. She hated it when he was shy because it was like he was waiting to be pushed away. There was nothing nicer than seeing him relax into being the enthusiastic little boy that he was.

‘Of course, my little love,’ Peggy gave him a kiss on the cheek while Rose asked rhetorically, ‘Geez, how’d you ever say no to that face?’

‘Tell me about it,’ Jean agreed.

‘It doesn’t happen often,’ Peggy said dryly, moving over to where Jean indicated.

‘Wouldn’t happen _at_ _all_ with me.’ Rose sat down, shooting a kind smile to Tony. ‘Would the little man like his own chair or would he sit on one of our laps?’

‘Tony?’ Peggy asked, turning to him.

Tony’s fingers tightened into her jacket again. ‘Aunty,’ he stated this time, curling into her again.

Rose softened. ‘Of course, gorgeous. You sit on your aunty’s lap and we’ll show you how all these doo-hickeys work. Though I could imagine you could probably tell us a thing or two about them!’

Tony brightened immediately at that. Peggy couldn’t help but feel a little smug that he wanted to stay with her. There really was nothing like having gained the love of this special child and made her feel like a million bucks whenever he showed his attachment to her.

They spent the next half hour there, Tony happily sitting on her lap, allowing Rose to put the headset on him. It was far too big for his head, which was far too adorable than it had a right to look. Jean showed him how to hook up calls, which Tony caught on to unsurprisingly fast, working out what buttons did before he was told. He even fiddled with the headset then handed it off to Rose.

‘It shouldn’t crackle anymore now, Miss Rose.’

Peggy hid a smile at how Tony became so charming with new ladies, addressing them so gentlemanly, which had all the women crooning continually.

Rose’s mouth dropped open when she put it back on and Jean whistled appreciatively. ‘He really is a genius, ain’t he?’

‘He really is,’ Peggy said fondly, running her hand back through Tony’s hair to straighten it from wearing the handset. Tony leaned back into her hand, smiling adoringly up at her.

They soon had to go, Peggy having to show her face in the office and do some work. Rose and Jean looked just as devastated as Tony did to go.

‘You bring him back more often, you hear?’ Rose called after them.

‘You won’t have to ask me twice,’ Peggy called back before the secret doorway opened up and she went through.

Tony’s mouth popped open and his eyes became huge.

‘Aunty,’ he breathed. ‘A secret entrance!’

‘Exciting, isn’t it, Bubba?’ Peggy gave him another kiss as she looked around as well.

She tended to forget, in the dull throb of adult life, how exciting and lovely those small things were. She dreamt of them as a young girl and here she was, walking through something like a secret entrance every day without a second thought. It took someone like Tony to show her the wonder of her world again. Suddenly she was so grateful to have brought him to work not only for him and his company, but for the magic he brought with him that seeped into her work life.

She left the stroller in the hallway, deciding to get Tony settled at her desk first, and brought him into the main area of the building.

Tony had nodded to her words, only half-listening as they walked into the main area. Desk after desk was on either side with all male agents, some chattering on phones, others filling out paper work while a few were leaning against another’s desk, chatting along. Typewriters went at it while someone was drawing on a chalkboard, talking out a theory with two other agents, phones ringing intermittently. The eagle insignia rose up behind it all with the large windows lining along the back wall, giving view to the city of New York outside.

As though she was shifting into Tony’s mindset, Peggy felt that buzz of excitement she did the first day she walked through here. The wonder and mystery had intrigued her and she hadn’t been able to wait to sink her hands into it all. Yes, it was a rough start but to confidently be able to move through her work, respected and now one of the heads fronting SHIELD, which was the leader of this department, she was loving her job more and more.

By the looks of it, Tony adored it as well, craning his head as far in every direction as it could go, completely enraptured by the world placed before him.

‘Oh, Aunty,’ he gasped. ‘It’s _wonderful_.’

She really hadn’t realised how much _she_ wanted to show him her work until he said that. She swore she was nearly glowing as much as him.

‘I’m so happy you like it, my little love,’ she murmured, giving his cheek another kiss.

Tony simply smiled, still staring around like he couldn’t believe his eyes.

‘Who’s the kid, Peggy?’ Agent Lewis called from his desk, taking a bite out of a jelly donut, only to have some of it spill on to his shirt. He didn’t appear too worried.

‘Your future overlord,’ Peggy answered easily; Lewis never was a favourite of hers.

Laughter burst from several desks while Lewis choked on his food. Tony watched it all curiously before grinning and even giving a wave to Lewis, which had Peggy grinning then. It was like Tony was playing along with her, which, in all likelihood, it was probably exactly what he was doing. The child had one hell of a sense of humour.

She paused when she saw Daniel sitting at his desk. He had that kind smile on, which only amped up when he spotted Tony.

‘So this is the little man of the moment, huh?’ he asked, not put out at all from her coldness this morning.

‘It is,’ Peggy said evenly. She didn’t care if she was being petty; it was how she had felt so she was holding to it. She brushed a protective hand over Tony’s head, who was watching the interaction intently, leaning closer to Peggy again.

‘Going to re-introduce me?’ Daniel asked, raising an eyebrow.

Peggy cocked her head in mock concern. ‘You mean you can’t?’

Daniel rolled his head to the side in a ‘Really? _Really_?’ gesture, before grabbing his crutch  and pushing himself to his feet.

Bung left leg slipping out from him a bit the way it always did, he strode towards them in his lopsided lope, Tony watching him intensely the whole way.

‘Hello,’ Daniel smiled, coming to a stand-still and shifting his cane from his right to left so he could hold out his hand. His soulful brown eyes were soft with kindness, the feature which had been the very thing that drew Peggy to him in the first place. ‘I’m Daniel. You probably don’t remember me, but we met a _long_ time ago. You were much smaller then, Tony.’

Tony glanced at Daniel’s hand then back at his face, own chestnut brown eyes intense, much more then he usually was meeting someone. Peggy watched the interaction curiously. It was very different from the reception Daniel got a year ago, where Tony seemed intent on pretending he wasn’t there.

To her shock, very slowly, Tony reached out, fingertips brushing against Daniel’s. He just wanted to touch, didn’t want to shake.

A smile pulled at the corner of Daniel’s mouth. He didn’t move his hand, closer or further away, allowing Tony to go at his own pace.

Glancing back at Daniel’s face and appearing to see what he deemed was okay, Tony grabbed on to her husband’s fingertips with his tiny ones. Quickly, he gave a tiny shake, before promptly retracting his touch and burying himself into the crook of Peggy’s shoulder.

‘Bubba,’ Peggy soothed immediately, rubbing her hand along Tony’s back. ‘It’s okay, my little love, no need to be so shy around Daniel.’

Daniel huffed a laugh, soulful brown eyes having gone sofert during Tony’s attention. ‘He’s something, isn’t he?’ he said. He had been so disappointed previously that Tony was inexplicably shy with him and looked beyond thrilled he actually got to interact, at least somewhat, with her nephew.

This time, Peggy didn’t give him the cold shoulder, feeling too warm that Daniel felt, in however briefer moment, the specialness she knew was within Tony. It made her feel connected with Daniel again, despite their previous tiff.

‘He really is,’ she said softly, trailing her fingers through Tony’s hair.

‘You need any stuff brought in for him?’ Daniel asked, glancing towards the doorway.

Peggy rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t pretend you weren’t spying. You know it’s in the hallway.’

Grinning, forever the resilient one, not put off by her tone at all, Daniel nodded. ‘I’ll grab it then.’

Putting his crutch back in his right hand, he began to limp off.

‘Is that little bundle going to have you and Sousa wrapped around his finger all day?’

Peggy glanced over to see Chief Jack Thompson leaning on his doorway.

He’d mellowed over the years, that was for sure. He was still somewhat of a misogynist but he recognised his misgivings more these days than thinking he was blindingly right. His face was still as youthful as ever and he was grinning despite his words as he pushed off the doorway, strolling over to the two of them.

‘Don’t be a slouch because he’s got more hold over the men then you’ve had in ten years,’ Peggy shot back pleasantly, absently rocking Tony as he snuggled into her at the new voice.

‘Motherhood doesn’t soften you, Marge,’ Jack grabbed his heart as though he was wounded, but stopped goofing off as he became the target of the little boy in her arms, chestnut brown eyes peeping around Peggy’s hair. Jack grinned, giving a casual wave. ‘How you doin’, sport?’

Tony blinked at Jack for a moment before whispering to Peggy, which, in a child’s whisper, meant the whole room could hear him. ‘Is he one of the silly ones, Aunty Peggy?’

The agents in the immediate vicinity burst into laughter and Peggy couldn’t contain hers either, gasping in shock and amusement. Daniel had doubled over in the aisle, not attempting to contain his raucous laughter at all.

Jack gaped at Daniel then at Peggy. Finally, he regained himself, pointing at her accusingly though there was a distinct amused twinkle in his eye. ‘Like mother like son. He uses his looks to create a false sense of security.’

Peggy couldn’t hold back her chuckles, lovingly stroking Tony’s head as he looked around in confusion at all the laughter. ‘We can’t help what we’re born with, Jack.’

‘Made to be a spy,’ Jack grunted. When Tony glanced curiously back at him, he snapped his fingers at the toddler. ‘Yep, you. A spy. Made for it. Just look at those innocent brown eyes. Waiting to draw you in.’

‘Lethal,’ Peggy agreed with over-exaggeration while Tony stared at him like he was crazy. ‘Careful he doesn’t steal your chocolate milk while you sleep.’

‘You’re the prime suspect for that one.’ Jack winked before cocking his head mockingly to the side. ‘Tell me, Marge? How’s it feel to act in a woman’s role today?’

Peggy smiled easily back at him. ‘Just as it feels when I act in a man’s role. As effortless and easy as breathing.’

More laughter followed that, including a few hoots.

‘Ah, shut up, all of ya,’ Jack waved his hand, but he tipped his head at Peggy with a smile, heading back to his office. His gait was slightly off, as it had been since he copped that bullet. ‘Cute kid. Lethal, but cute.’

Peggy snorted, but smiled back, poking Tony’s nose playfully, as she finally got to her desk. ‘Well done, Bubba. You undermined the boss on your first day. Truly my nephew.’

Tony gave his whole-hearty chuckles, always easily picking up on Peggy’s sarcasm. He wielded it himself pretty easily. ‘Yeah,’ he said proudly, letting her settle him in her lap at the desk.

‘This is Aunty’s desk, Bubba. What do you think?’

‘Very pretty,’ he said encouragingly, sending her a glowing smile.

Again, she just had to lean down and kiss his cheek. ‘I love you, mubs,’ she said softly.

‘Love you too,’ he said easily, already perching on his knees to check out every object on her desk.

He was thoroughly acquainted with everything, from her spy pen and staples in her desk, to the telephone and magnifying glass by the time Daniel returned with the stroller and bags.

‘Need an extra chair for him?’ he asked.

‘It’s fine, I’ll get it later,’ Peggy smiled pleasantly at him before grabbing a G-rated file that she would be running through today.

Though she wasn’t looking, she knew Daniel was doing one of his silent sighs, where his shoulders rose all the way up before dropping all the way down.

Tony glanced up at Daniel and back to Peggy. ‘Why are you ‘tending to be mad at him like you ‘tend to be mad at Jarvis?’ he asked innocently, looking up at Peggy expectantly.

Oh, lord help her. She forgot she had a nephew who could read her moods like he could engineering. Closing her eyes, trying to stem the embarrassment from heating up her face, she tried to think of a way not to meet Daniel’s face. However, she could feel him still there and unfortunately, she could never not look when she really shouldn’t.

Slowly dragging her eyes up, she was greeted with a million-watt cocky smile on her husband. His eyes twinkled while his lips wobbled as he opened them, obviously trying not to laugh out loud.

‘I … _really_ like him,’ Daniel grinned.

‘Oh, get out of here and grab me another chair,’ Peggy retorted, bending back over her folder.

‘Yes, ma’am.’ Daniel was far too abhorrent when he was smug. Why did it make him somehow more attractive to her when he was being cheeky? Ludicrously adorable little sod.

‘Aunty?’ Tony tugged on her sleeve, worry creeping into his expression. ‘I do something wrong?’

All embarrassment and annoyance melted from Peggy as she regarded her nephew.

‘Oh, Bubba, no,’ she pulled him into her arms, leaning back in her chair so she could wrap him up in a huge cuddle. ‘You didn’t do anything wrong.’

‘You sure?’ Tony blinked up at her, allowing her to cradle him, showing how much the new place was making him want her closeness. He usually never allowed himself to be cradled unless he was hurt or about to go down for a nap.

‘Mm-hmm,’ Peggy hummed softly, affectionately running a thumb over his cheek. Love eased through her, making her feel warm and soft as she looked down into her godson’s trusting face staring up at her own. ‘You’re my angel. My perfect little angel.’

Tony smiled and squirmed at her proclamation, wriggling around to cuddle into her easier.

They stayed like that for a moment, her not caring any attention she was getting from the men around her, as she never did. She simply breathed in the special moment between her and her little light.

The feeling of someone else watching her specifically drew her gaze to her right to see Daniel standing there, holding a chair.

He was watching them both, a gentle grin that made her glance away then back at him with a self-conscious smile.

‘What?’ she mouthed.

He just shrugged, crooked smile on his face.

Sensing someone else close, Tony began to wriggle to be let up and spotted Daniel as well.

Peggy was shocked when he actually waved and called out a soft, ‘Hello.’

Tony usually didn’t do too well with male strangers in particular. Women he tended to warm to quickly but men? It took him a lot longer. Truthfully, she had never seen him take to any male outside of Jarvis. Sadly, there wasn’t connection between Tony and Howard, which was something Peggy wouldn’t allow herself to go into. It was a source of tension between her and Howard for quite a few years now.

Daniel, someone who was rather guarded with his facial expressions, smiled openly at the toddler. ‘Hey, there, anjinho.’

Being around Daniel for all these years, Peggy picked up her fair share of Portuguese and knew it was no coincidence Daniel slipped into calling Tony ‘little angel’ in his grandmother’s native tongue. Tony, for his part, despite not having a clue what Daniel meant, just waved again, taking it all in his stride.

So Tony, always rolling with the punches.

 ‘Got a special seat for you here.’ Daniel limped closer with it, setting it next to the desk.

For the first time, Tony noticed his limp. ‘Did you hurt yourself?’ he asked, a worry line creasing his forehead.

Daniel grinned, obviously expecting the question sooner or later. ‘You could say that.’

‘You shouldn’t be walking if you’re hurt,’ Tony instructed him seriously, resembling Jarvis then and there. ‘You’ll get better quicker if you rest.’

‘Tony,’ Peggy whispered but Daniel shook his head minutely, letting her know it was okay.

Slowly, using the desk for support, he kneeled down. A huff of air escaped him at the effort and he was now at Tony’s eye level.

Tony leaned further back into Peggy’s hold but other than that, didn’t react.

‘That’s very nice of you, Tony,’ Daniel murmured so it was only the three of them who could hear. While it sounded like what every adult would say to a child, Peggy saw deeper than that. The way Daniel’s head was tilted to the side; the half-smile; the melting brown eyes. Daniel wasn’t just being nice. He was touched. The injury had been a sensitive spot for him, digging up a hurt that never quite went away. Peggy always worked on it, but sometimes, if a person could be callous about the injury, it hurt Daniel, no matter how much he pretended it didn’t.

Tony’s worry for him wasn’t being brushed off; it was being taken in and held like the precious, innocent thing it was.

‘But,’ Daniel continued softly, ‘there’s times when people get hurt and it changes the way they move all the time. I’ve been moving like this for nearly twenty years now.’

‘Oh,’ Tony said, looking down for a moment before right back at Daniel. ‘Does it hurt anymore though? Even though you have to move differently?’

Daniel sent Peggy a brief wide-eyed expression of wonder which Peggy returned with a smile. Tony really was unlike any other child. Most children would concentrate on the impairment, wanting to know all about that, but not Tony. It didn’t seem to be the thing that caught his gaze in the first place, but instead, worried for Daniel’s pain.

‘No,’ Daniel gently shook his head. ‘It doesn’t hurt me anymore.’

Tony nodded in complete satisfaction. ‘That’s good. I’m glad.’ Then, ‘Do you go on missions with Aunty Peggy?’

Daniel gave a huff of laughter again, amazement leaking into his face, never having his injury dismissed in such a nice way. It truly didn’t make a difference to Tony, as long as no one was hurting.

‘Yeah. I do.’

Tony’s eyes twinkled with curiosity. ‘Can you tell me a story?’

Daniel’s own eyes promised trouble. ‘I could,’ he grinned.

‘No,’ Peggy firmly shook her head. ‘No stories from Daniel.’ At Tony’s instantly dropped lip, she amended, ‘At least not any unsupervised.’

Cocking his head, Tony deemed this fair and forgot about his impending upset. ‘I can deal with that.’

Daniel laughed again, one of his ‘I Really Can’t Believe This’ laughs, full of delight, humour and disbelief. It was one of Peggy’s favourites. Not that she was planning on telling him at the moment, though she was quickly melting the more she saw Daniel interact with Tony.

He was simply wonderful with her nephew and anyone who treated Tony well got a green pass in her books. Even if she currently wanted to be annoyed at her husband, which she really didn’t think was working much anymore anyway. At least not after Tony’s reveal.

‘It’s a date then.’ Daniel winked at Peggy, prompting her to roll her eyes, before he reached out his hand to Tony again. ‘Lovely chatting with you, sport.’

This time, Tony only hesitated for a second before reaching forward and giving it a tentative shake.

Daniel gave his little half-smile before pushing himself to his feet and walking back to his desk, only two up from Peggy’s. And there was no Agent Johnson blocking them today. She doubted it was going to be the last time they were joined by Daniel today.

By the way Tony watched after Daniel, she doubted Tony would complain about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :). As always comments and kudos are love :).


	3. In My Life (I Love You More)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of Tony's insecurities come to the surface and Peggy is determined to put them to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies :),
> 
> Finally, another update! I had a mix around with my visa so ended up having to head home sooner so am currently working through jet-lag lol. So, if there are any mistakes in this, please forgive me! 
> 
> More fluff, as per usual, particularly with this story lol. This is a bit more angsty then the others but there aren't really any trigger warnings I can think of. Perhaps just child insecurities and some neglect but nothing violent. There should be probably only one more chapter after this one. I hope you enjoy it. I certainly had fun writing it then finally getting the time to come back to edit it :).
> 
> Also, I don't own anything Marvel related or the song this chapter is named after, again, by The Beatles :). Please enjoy :D!

The next hour was spent easily, Tony happy to let her go through a file about a kidnapping that had been recently solved. She wouldn’t allow him to see it, setting him up to sketch with his pencils Jarvis packed. Sitting on his knees in his own chair, Tony really was the perfect angel, not even attempting to peek at the file, as she fully expected he would try, at least once.

The day was still young.

Deciding not to push her luck, she quickly filed a report to wrap it up and grabbed a folder she knew Tony would have some interest in as well as allowed to see. She and Daniel were currently on the case about a tip on a science lab about to be hit. They were being blocked for information, the laboratory not wanting to disclose what would be of most value so they were currently working on getting a warrant. The only thing they had was a vague list the lab released to appease them which contained more words that she didn’t understand then ones she did, most appearing in formulaic format rather than the names of finished products. The resident scientists had been having a hard time working out why these formulas were being placed together, not knowing what sort of elements they would create if it was done. Since it wasn’t considered an emergency, the warrant was taking its sweet time to be able to get more information and force the lab to be more helpful rather than purposefully confusing.

‘Bubba,’ she called softly so as not to startle Tony out of his drawing, ‘would you like to have a look at this one with Aunty?’

She may as well have asked her nephew if he wanted to have ice cream for every meal for the rest of his life. Tony squeaked with excitement, throwing his pencils to the side to scramble on to her lap without reserve.

There were soft chuckles around the room when she gasped, managing to grab Tony around the waist before he fell. Tony grinned at her, showing how much he threw caution to the wind, just trusting she was going to catch him. Jarvis kept on trying to instruct him how sometimes they might _miss_ but Tony seemed to have utmost faith in their capabilities.

‘Tony,’ she sighed, trying to sound warning to be more careful but Tony’s smile simply widened, knowing very well she wasn’t actually going to scold him.

‘Yes, Aunty?’ he enunciated perfectly.

Little stinker really knew her too well.

Sending him an unamused look, which he returned perfectly, she snuck her fingers underneath his armpits. Tony squealed, pushing away her hand with a laughing, ‘Aunty.’

‘Yes, Bubba?’ Peggy teased right back.

Tony laughed more at her swapping the tables around, catching on to her game straight away.

‘Cheeky Aunty,’ he grinned up at her, causing her to snort on her own laughter at him using the words she said to him all the time but swapping it back on her.

‘No winning with you,’ she murmured fondly, running her fingers through his hair.

‘Nope,’ Tony popped the ‘P’, settling back against her, quick eyes already scouring the open file in front of him.

The agents around her didn’t hold back their laughter much and she had to chuckle along with them as well. Really, no child had such a way with words as Tony did. He had so many people dancing around in circles as it was, let alone what he was going to be able to do when he was an adult.

Quickly explaining the basics to him, she pushed the list of formulas closer to him. ‘These mean anything to you, Bubba?’

She was more doing it out of curiosity; Tony had memorised the Periodic Table of Elements when he was three. While she didn’t expect him to be able to interpret what the random formulas accumulated to, she was interested to see how much he would understand of it.

Tony lit up at the squiggles in front of him, leaning forward to pour over the paper. He ran a finger along each line, as though that helped to separate it better in his head. It was something Tony did a lot, touching whatever was placed in front of him, tapping along the edge of the paper, like he could feel out the science behind it, rather than just read it.

Staying silent, she waited a good few minutes before Tony suddenly tapped on one formula which Peggy hadn’t been able to decipher at all, not familiar with the elements in the least.

‘Aunty,’ he said softly, slowly. ‘I think that’s about … um, energy.’

‘Really?’ Peggy leaned forward, shocked Tony wasn’t just recognising the elements but what the combination could perform.

Tony nodded, fingers tapping quicker. ‘It’s using the, um, um, prince … um …’

‘Principles,’ Peggy supplied gently, hiding her amazement at a child too young to pronounce large words but understanding what those words meant.

Tony sent her a grateful grin. ‘Yeah, with stuff that’s like … um, really hot and makes stuff run.’

‘Thermo-energy?’ Peggy asked, wheels already turning in her head. It would make sense that would be a target. Any sort of self-sufficient energy was the best to be weaponized.

Her nephew nodded enthusiastically at the word. ‘Yeah, that’s it, Aunty! The stuff … um, _elements_ aren’t used like that but um, Dad reckons they could be under, like, like,’ Tony gave a frustrated noise that he didn’t have the vocabulary to express his insane intelligence.

‘Circumstances,’ Peggy nodded along, getting an extremely happy smile from Tony. This wasn’t a new dynamic for them. She always got what Tony was trying to say when the toddler simply didn’t have the words. It made for special communication between them. Peggy loved having that connection with him where she knew what was in his head while Tony was always so thrilled with her, not made to feel frustrated that he couldn’t express himself the way he so badly wanted to.

It was only then that Peggy noticed the dead silence around her. Tony seemed to realise it at the same time and they simultaneously looked up to see the ten agents close by, all staring. A movement to her left let Peggy know Jack was watching from his office as well while Daniel was grinning openly at her, tacitly letting her know he had seen, again, Tony’s specialness.

Seeing the eyes on him, Tony immediately buried his head in Peggy’s chest.

A few laughed and Peggy automatically wrapped protective arms around her nephew, smiling sympathetically down at him.

Agent Denver cocked his head from across the aisle. ‘Did a baby just figure out a formula our scientists didn’t get?’

Even though Tony was hiding, Peggy could feel him bristle at being called a baby.

‘He’s not a baby, Denver,’ Peggy supplied for him in instead, ‘He’s four.’

Denver raised an amused eyebrow at her. ‘That’s the most important thing to you right now?’

‘I can correct grammar while Tony corrects the science.’ Peggy ducked her head down to playfully include Tony and draw him back out. ‘What a team we make, Bubba. We could open our own school.’

She was rewarded with the shiest of smiles while he grabbed her forearm, squeezing it. Thanking her.

She pressed a kiss to his head in reply.

The rest of the agents were still staring, somewhat gobsmacked, Denver the only one managing anything verbal, watching Tony like they hadn’t seen him properly the first time. In all truth, they wouldn’t have. People tended to bypass Tony because of his age, not seeing his genius or his specialness. She loved to see that moment when it clicked, when people saw Tony truly was no ordinary child, not thinking it was just an over-proud aunty bragging.

‘All right, people,’ Jack yelled from his seat in his office. ‘Back to work.’

There were a few grumbles but the group began to disperse, a few amazed glances shot Tony’s way. Peggy sent Jack a grateful smile at getting Tony his space again. While he pretended to be an inconsiderate person most of the time, he had a goodness to him, which was why Peggy had put up with him all these years.

Jack simply winked at her, just perceptible at the distance before bending back over his desk.

‘Daniel,’ she called out. ‘Think you can chase up on that formula with Hammer Labs?’

‘On it,’ he answered, cheekily raising eyebrow. ‘I’m only the chief of the LA department.’

‘Should be an easy task for you then,’ she answered back sweetly, causing him to snort, while a few others coughed a laugh. Tony shot her a little sideways glance from where he was cuddled into her, trying to cheekily withhold his own smile by sucking his lips in.

Peggy sent him a wink, which had him losing his battle. Leaning down to whisper conspiratorially with him, she asked, ‘What do you say we skip on some work and have a bit of a tour?’

Tony nodded enthusiastically, shyness erased at not having the attention on him anymore. He was off his chair and ready to go before she had even put the folder away.

‘Uh-uh-uh.’ Peggy held up her index finger before holding out her hand. ‘Take my hand please.’

‘Aunty,’ Tony whined, leaning back to whisper to her. ‘I’m not a baby.’

She was going to kill Denver for bringing that issue back up with her nephew again. As if he wasn’t worried enough with the diaper then Denver had gone and said that. While she knew it was done without thinking or meaning any harm, it was that Tony took such things to heart sometimes and misspoken words cut straight to the toddler’s insecurities.

‘I’m very aware of that, my little love, but I don’t want you getting into something you shouldn’t. There are some dangerous things in here that you shouldn’t be near.’

‘I know what dangerous stuff looks like,’ Tony grumbled. ‘I’ve been in Dad’s lab.’

‘Don’t remind me, Bubba. I’m still not talking to him since he let you do that without adult supervision.’

‘But Dad was there.’

‘My point, darling,’ Peggy said easily, reaching out her hand again pointedly. ‘Now, please, Tony.’

She could see him weighing up his options on the best route to go here and waited in muted amusement for him to come to his conclusion. Obviously realising a tantrum wasn’t going to get him his tour, a little hand reluctantly slipped into hers.

‘Good boy, Bubba.’ Peggy always made sure to praise him when he made a good choice, no matter how reluctant it may have been.

That did garner her a smile, though it was considerably half-hearted. It didn’t take him long to get over the slight though, especially when she surprised him with the advanced lab clearance she got.

The lab technician, Hendricks, even kindly gave them a tour, explaining a lot of the gadgets and passing over some of the deadly weapons. She started to explain new techniques they were using to better track agents in the field. It tended to go over Peggy’s head but Tony seemed to get every word, nodding enthusiastically to everything.

When he asked if there were stronger frequencies that could be invented then radio, like could it be conducted through more perfect wavelengths, Hendricks raised her eyebrows.

‘Smart boy, you’ve got there, Agent Carter,’ she said, causing Tony to beam. ‘What’s his name again?’

‘Tony … Tony Stark.’ Sometimes, Peggy truly wished that it was Tony Carter. She knew Jarvis wished for the same thing as well. Howard and Maria didn’t give Tony the attention like this that he so obviously craved and it killed her each time she couldn’t take Tony to be hers all the time. Or at least be picking him up from the Jarvis’, where he would get all the love in the world and be under their decisions and rule-making.

‘Ah.’ Hendricks nodded. ‘That would explain it. If his old man’s not careful, young Tony will overshadow him in a decade or two.’

Tony actually appeared uncomfortable at this praise, which had Peggy glancing at him curiously. It was soon passed over though as Hendricks went on to something else.

It took a lot to drag Tony away from the labs even after they spent over an hour there. The promise of food and drink went a long way, but it took a lot of convincing that they actually had to exit the labs to be able to get sustenance. Finally, Tony subsided when she promised some apple juice, one of his favourite things at the moment.

Scooping him up, Peggy didn’t even have to prompt Tony to say thank you to Hendricks for the tour. The lab technician glowed at the little boy as he graciously said his thanks.

‘You can come back anytime, sweetheart,’ she assured.

Tony grinned hopefully at Peggy and Peggy knew then and there this wasn’t going to be the last time she would be taking him to work with her. No way was she saying no to that face.

Making her way back to the main area, she absently patted Tony’s backside. Damn, he needed a change. Taking a deep breathe to prepare for the challenge, she settled him with his juice box of apple juice before subtly grabbing the green change bag.

 Luckily, Tony was preoccupied with his drink, polishing it off in no time. She ducked into the ladies rooms and it was only then Tony realised what was about to take place, growing upset.

Thankfully, Tony was fairly well behaved through the change. It was when she put the new diaper on him that the tears started. She found herself walking a distraught toddler up and down the hallway as he sobbed heart-brokenly into her shoulder, green bag slung over the other.

‘I’ll tell you next time, Aunty,’ he whimpered. ‘Promise, Aunty, promise.’

Sighing, she closed her eyes to steel herself against his heartbreaking pleas. ‘Bubba, you didn’t do anything wrong to begin with. It’s perfectly all right you need a bit of help at the moment with these things, hmm? Many big boys do. Why, even some adults do! It truly doesn’t matter, my little love.’

That seemed to calm him down some, though he hiccupped miserably into her for a good while after that. At least he wasn’t crying anymore. She couldn’t stand it when he did and sometimes felt like curling up into a corner with him and joining in when it was happening.

‘Everything all right out here?’

Peggy wasn’t surprised to hear Daniel’s voice but it still sent a jolt of happiness through her that the realisation he was just … there for her.

‘He’s having a bit of a hard day,’ she answered as truthfully as she could without making Tony feel more upset.

Daniel nodded in sympathy from where he was leaning against the outer wall of the hallway. She was surprised when he raised his voice to address Tony.

‘Hey, Tony. Would you like to see something cool?’

Tony miserably peered up from where he was snuggled into Peggy’s shoulder, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

‘Cool?’ he repeated, little voice cracking slightly.

Daniel’s eyes, which always had a sad element to them, became that bit more broken. ‘Yeah, anjinho, really cool. It’s something that can make people invisible.’

Tony lifted his head more, face brightening. ‘Invisible?’

‘Mm-hmm.’ Daniel leaned down and whispered theatrically, cupping his hand around his mouth. ‘You wanna see it?’

Tony’s nod held no hesitation at all while Peggy raised an eyebrow but didn’t protest. When Daniel began to head to the interrogation room, she had to hand it to him. What a clever way to look at it that way.

Daniel entered the little room off the interrogation area, Peggy following in after him with Tony.

‘Okay.’ Daniel pointed to the window that was the look-in to the interrogation room. ‘Now, you can see in there right?’ At Tony’s nod again, he waved for them to follow him again, moving into the actual interrogation room.

‘What do you see now?’ he asked.

Tony frowned at what now looked like mirror. ‘Me, Aunty Peggy and you.’

‘But you could see in here from the other room, couldn’t you?’

Tony nodded, frown deepening. ‘Was it a picture?’

‘Nope,’ Daniel grinned, looking as excited as Tony was curious to reveal the secret. ‘It’s a one-way window, Tony. One person can see through the other side while the other person can only see a mirror.’

Tony’s mouth dropped open. ‘Really?’

‘Yep!’ Daniel grinned. ‘You and your aunty go back into the other room and you’ll see me on this side.’

Tony gasped and began to wriggle to get down.

‘You can just ask, Bubba,’ Peggy laughed, sitting him down all the same while grabbing his hand, allowing herself to be dragged along by the little energy ball.

When Tony got back round to the other side, he downright squealed when he saw Daniel standing there, waving in the direction of the mirror. Peggy didn’t think she had loved Daniel more than at that moment.

Tony was absolutely _ecstatic_ , jumping up and down on the spot. ‘It makes people invisible, Aunty!’ he cried, waving his hands madly about. ‘It’s magic! It’s magic!’

Daniel laughed from the other room, able to hear him with the doors open while Peggy gave his hair a loving ruffle.

‘Yes, it is magical, isn’t it, my little love?’

‘Yeah!’ Tony cheered and without warning, dashed back out to the other side.

Peggy sighed, following after him. It wasn’t really in her heart to scold him for taking off without her. He had just been so excited and she was too relieved to see him happy again to upset him when he hadn’t been meaning to be naughty.

‘Cool enough for you, champ?’ Daniel asked when Tony came barrelling in, Peggy jogging in after him.

‘So cool!’ Tony agreed enthusiastically. He wasted no time racing up to the mirror to examine it closer, trying to see if he could glance behind it and running around it to examine it from every angle.

‘Not Howard’s son at all,’ Daniel muttered in amusement to her.

‘You should see him when he gets his hands on something that’s electric.’

‘I saw the papers.’ Daniel jerked his head towards the toddler who was currently pressing his nose against the mirror. ‘Circuit board? At four years old? Damn, I thought I was clever I could recite some Shakespeare. At twenty.’

Peggy chuckled at that. ‘You and me both.’

There were a few moments of silence, only broken by Tony muttering to himself about the elements which could be used to create the ‘magical’ mirror.

‘So,’ Daniel finally broke the silence. ‘Are you still … pretend angry with me?’

Peggy worked on keeping her mouth in a straight line. ‘Perhaps.’

‘Well.’ Daniel shuffled on the spot, exactly how he did when he tried to ask her out on a date the very first time; beautifully nervous. ‘Would lunch for three make the fake anger disappear?’

She nodded back to the main area. ‘Shouldn’t we be doing lunch orders?’

‘I think Thompson knows there isn’t going to be much work done from us today.’ Daniel’s shy smile became a tad cheeky. ‘Come on, let’s split. I’ll feed him some jazz about getting a lead, which he’ll believe as much as I’ll try to sell it, and get the kid some pizza.’

‘How romantic.’

At that, Daniel blushed. ‘Well, I just mean that … well, you know, if I could—’

She didn’t give him a chance to dig himself in further, leaning forward to press a chaste kiss against his soft lips. He stopped trying to talk immediately, leaning into her in that gentle way of his where he wanted more but was always so respectful of her boundaries.

They were interrupted by a little foot stomping the floor.

‘Aunty!’ Tony scowled. ‘That’s yucky, no!’

Peggy laughed while Daniel’s whole eyebrows rose in amusement.

‘It’s not that bad, my darling.’

‘Is too,’ Tony argued back.

‘How about I make it up to you with some pizza?’ Daniel piped in, extending a peace-offering.

Tony eyed him warily. He wasn’t shy in the least this time, obviously not too happy about seeing someone kiss his aunty.

Tony refused to answer Daniel, keeping a stubborn silence.

Peggy realised she probably should have explained Daniel’s presence better to him. While Tony knew very well she had a husband, he didn’t really understand all that came with it because he hadn’t been around her much when she was _with_ Daniel. The child was very protective of the people he loved and he seemed to think any man who made advances on Peggy was somehow going to take her away. Or more accurately, take her away from _him_. It was something she should have worked on, but in all truth, she hadn’t really realised what a problem it was until that point.

Not to mention, Tony wasn’t used to sharing much, tending to be a bit possessive of his loved ones.

Peggy turned to Daniel. ‘Do you think you could get the stroller and meet us in the hallway?’

Daniel got the cue, nodding at her. He sent a concerned look Tony’s way before he exited, taking the changing bag from her. Tony glared after him.

Giving a fond sigh, Peggy kneeled down in front of her headstrong nephew.

‘Mubs, do you know how Mister Jarvis loves Mrs. Jarvis very, very much?’

Firmly in pout mode, arms crossed, Tony mumbled something under his breath, staring at the ground, refusing to meet her gaze.

Peggy wasn’t deterred; she was long accustomed to Tony’s passionate moods. ‘And I know you have seen them kiss. You tell me _and_ them how yucky it is, you cheeky boy.’ She injected her voice with happiness, reaching out to gently tickle him under the arms.

Tony jerked away but she saw the smile there that he quickly hid underneath a little scowl.

The poor darling could never help himself getting caught up in the moods of people around him. If Peggy was happy, he found it very hard not to latch on to it and soon become happy himself.

Hiding her smile so Tony wouldn’t think she wasn’t taking him seriously, she carried on. ‘Well, just because they love each other very much and do things you find yucky, do they treat you any differently?’

She knew she was on to the right thing when Tony peeked up at her from underneath his chocolaty strands of thick hair, eyes trembling, bottom lip dropped as well.

‘Promise nothing will change?’ he whispered, filling in the blanks of where she was going with her analogy.

‘Oh, my little love,’ Peggy murmured, pulling him into a hug, kissing his hair while gently patting his backside. ‘Nobody would ever be able to come between me and you. Why, I’ve known Daniel long before you were born! And Aunty will treat you the same as always, Bubba.’

Tony gave a little choked sob, throwing his arms around her neck, squeezing into her as tightly as he could.

Feeling a little teary herself, she reaffirmed her hold on him, brushing another kiss on his forehead before burying her nose in his hair. Breathing in the baby scent he still had, more close to a bub then he was to a young child, much to his chagrin.

‘Always,’ she repeated softly, feeling his little heartbeat thup-thup-thupping against her chest, nose causing a wet spot on her neck.

She hated he thought he could be replaced so easily; she hated  that Howard contributed towards the thinking, however unwittingly; what she hated most of all though, was that he wasn’t hers, though she wished it with all her heart and soul that he was

She’d never talked about it, but she was in much the same position as Jarvis and Ana. While she herself was perfectly capable of having a child, Daniel wasn’t, results from his injury in the war. They’d talked about it extensively and had considered adopting but never took the last step, their careers always making them put it off.

Now, Peggy knew the child she wanted to adopt more than anything but it would be impossible. Unfortunately, Tony could never be completely hers. Or Jarvis’s. Or  Ana’s. He would always be a part of Howard and Maria. However much, or little, they had to do with him, they were the ones in charge of those final, huge decisions. And it killed her just a little more each day. They didn’t know him; Maria may have somewhat but even if Howard did, it was irrelevant to the pig-headed man. He had big plans for his son that didn’t seem to include his son.

Realising she was going on a downward spiral, she took a deep breath and cuddled Tony a little closer before picking him up.

Tony didn’t complain, but it didn’t last when she proceeded to wipe down his snotty face.

‘Yucky,’ he whined, trying to push her hand away as he had with Jarvis with as little success.

‘It isn’t that bad, little love.’

‘Is.’

Peggy chuckled while shaking her head. ‘Always the last say with you, isn’t it?’ she said as she walked back into the hallway.

‘Doesn’t remind you of anyone?’ Daniel called, somehow hearing her from at the end, next to the entrance.

‘Not in the least,’ Peggy retorted but allowed a smile to brush over her lips before turning her attentions back to Tony. ‘Walk, stroller or with Aunty?’

If Daniel wasn’t there, she was fairly sure he would have insisted on being carried. However, he peeked out at the man before beginning to wriggle down.

‘Walk,’ he said, though it wasn’t as adamant as it usually was.

Knowing it was useless to try to convince him that he didn’t have to prove what a big boy he was in front of Daniel, she let him have his way, though she did snatch up his hand before he could take off out of the entrance.

It garnered her a rather impressive glare.

However, Tony seemed to have forgiven Daniel for his earlier transgression, mostly because it didn’t have anything to do with the man but instead, Tony’s own insecurities. With those aptly assuaged, he was back to watching Daniel through avid curiosity. Whenever Daniel paid him attention, he would shrink shyly back into Peggy’s legs but smiled and replied to whatever Daniel said.

While it was something he didn’t talk about much, Peggy knew being a father was something Daniel had wanted. She just hadn’t realised what an amazing father he would be. As she watched him with Tony though, she realised what a natural he was, drawing Tony out of his shell with his open smile and easy talk.

They reached Daniel’s favourite pizza restaurant, Delillo’s, in no time. Peggy was never such a fan of the dish, but Tony loved it and it was meant to be his special day so she was prepared to go with anything.

Thankfully, it was quiet, which would do Tony some good to settle a bit. Claiming a booth in the corner after ordering, Tony sat on his knees so he could lean his elbows on the table. It was something he wasn’t allowed to do at home, but again, Peggy wasn’t too worried about lunch time manners. They had never been her strong suit as a child and they certainly weren’t now.

‘So,’ Daniel propped his chin on his hand, elbow on the table as well as he looked curiously over at Tony, ‘are you always a little mind reader when it comes to people, able to see when they’re angry?’ He glanced pointedly over at Peggy. ‘Or not.’

It took a lot of effort to not make a face at him and it was only because Tony would have seen that she managed to withhold it.

‘Um.’ Tony tapped the table with his fingers, forever on the move. ‘I can tell when Aunty and Jarvis say no but they mean yes.’

‘Tony!’ Peggy laughed.

Her nephew had the decency to look a little ashamed. ‘Well, there _are_ different kind of nos,’ he mumbled, hunching his shoulders.

Peggy couldn’t help but concede to the little stinker with a longsuffering shake of her head, smile crooking her lips. She leaned over to swat his backside. ‘And _you_ , young man, are far too clever for your own good.’

Tony simply grinned toothily back at her, knowing he wasn’t in trouble in the slightest.

Daniel watched the interaction with that soft look again. She could see the way he spotted Tony’s hands that her husband was taking note of the twitching Tony often did, always having to be on the move, as though trying to make his body keep up with his brain. ‘Hey, squirt? Want to learn some origami?’

The toddler blinked up at Daniel, thumb brushing against his bottom lip again. Still though, he nodded.

Grinning victoriously, Daniel slid along the seat until he was next to Tony, snatching up a napkin. ‘Believe it or not, I learnt this in Norway,’ he began, Tony watching him with the hugest of eyes.

Peggy simply leaned back and watched the scene play out in front of her.

Daniel made a crane, Tony gasping when he saw what had been created. Her husband went through it again, slower, Tony watching it closer this time, before he attempted to do one himself. It was sloppy and couldn’t quite stand up by itself but Daniel praised him like no tomorrow.

‘My first one looked like a duck!’

Tony’s soft giggles made Daniel pause before another million-watt grin grew firmly on his face and it was there to stay until the pizza came.

Tony insisted Peggy had to blow on every piece, even after it cooled down, which Peggy obligingly did. She felt like they were the perfect family and Daniel read her easily, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, encasing Tony in between the two of them. Her nephew didn’t seem to mind or even notice for that matter as he happily munched away on his pizza.

They fell into easy chatter and Peggy realised how even her and Daniel didn’t do this enough. Just take a day to do nothing but simply be with each other. They had been so busy in the past six months and this was probably the first time in that long they had taken a breather, together at least.

When Tony finished, which was faster than what it should have been, she grabbed a napkin and began to wipe off his face and hands.

This time, tears welled up in Tony’s eyes and he kicked his legs, showing her nap time was fast approaching. She knew better than to voice that though and simply wrapped a comforting arm around him once she was done, giving his backside another pat.

Another change was needed and this time, Tony was going to be even _less_ happy than the other times, which was saying something.

‘Bathroom?’ Peggy murmured to Daniel.

He raised his eyebrows in confusion at her discretion but nodded to the far right hand corner. ‘Ladies is over there.’

‘Thanks.’ Peggy grimaced. ‘Despite what you’re about to hear, the world is not about to end.’

Daniel’s eyebrows rose further but he didn’t comment.

‘Come on, my little love,’ Peggy tried to be as bright as possible as she placed Tony on her hip, slipped out of the booth and grabbed the changing bag.

No such luck as Tony going off her mood this time. He spotted the bag immediately and his bottom lip trembled. Everything broke loose from there. Tears, screaming, clinging as tightly as possible to her, and a few good leg kicks thrown in for good measure. No amount of shushing, cooing and singing (yes, she even got that desperate) could settle Tony as she strapped him into a new diaper.

‘Darling, why is this so hard today, hmm?’ she soothed, brushing Tony’s sweaty locks back because he’d worked himself up that much. ‘The change is all done, Bubba. There’s no need for all these tears.’

Tony sobbed as she pulled his soft pants back on, straightening his little sweater to cover the straps of the diaper peeking out the top of his pants. Finally, she was able to lift him back into her arms, rubbing circles on his back and patting his bottom, cooing softly to him.

‘There, all done, darling. I think a bottle might be a good idea right about now.’ She rocked him, swaying around the small room which held the one lavatory and a changing table that could be folded out. ‘What do you say, my little love? Bottle?’

Tony didn’t reply but he began to suck his thumb, showing how utterly done he was with everything. His tears began to ease, breaking out in a soft sob now and then.

Frowning in worry, thinking she was missing something, she kissed his temple, murmuring to him. ‘Tony, darling, you think you could tell Aunty what has you so upset? Why is it such a hard thing to need a little help today, hmm?’

Her nephew was completely limp in her arms by now, but she could tell by how he brushed his fingers over her coat that he was thinking, obviously listening to her words.

She didn’t push him but continued to walk, allowing him the time to come up with his words. If it came to he didn’t want to use those either, she understood that as well, but wanted him to know she would wait for as long as he needed her to.

 After a while, he spoke, voice cracked from all his crying. ‘Don’t want … don’t want D-Daniel to know.’

‘Oh, my darling.’ Peggy pressed another kiss on his head and he looked up at her, chestnut brown eyes so sad with all the tears that her heart twisted at the sight. ‘Daniel would _never_ care. He thinks you are absolutely wonderful and _nothing_ could change that. Ever.’

Tony’s eyes widened at her words. ‘How do you know?’

Gosh, she loved this child. She loved how he didn’t seem to question her words but only wanted to know how she knew. It just seemed like common knowledge to him that she would never lie. And she would never, ever betray that trust.

Peggy nuzzled Tony’s neck, causing a ghost of a smile and wriggle before placing her finger under his chin, lifting it so she had his full attention. ‘Because you are the most wonderful little boy ever,’ she whispered. ‘Anyone who has any intelligence can see that. And, believe me, Daniel is _very_ intelligent.’

Tony’s eyes filled with more tears, but of a different kind this time. He threw his arms tightly around her neck, crying softly into her shoulder. It was obvious he was having an extremely emotional day. It had been full-on in so many respects.

Rubbing a hand up and down his back, she rubbed her cheek along his hair. ‘Never worry about that, Bubba. Know your value, my little love.’ She swallowed thickly as the words brought her old fears back, ones she kicked a long time ago. ‘Know your value,’ she murmured, ‘and _never_ let anyone convince you that you deserve less.’

The arms tightened around her, letting her know the message was received. But for once, her little light was out of words, completely exhausted from his bouts of upset. It was just past two o’clock, Tony’s naptime.

‘All right, mubs,’ she kept up a soothing litany of words as she scooped up the bag and began to make her way back out to the restaurant area. ‘I really think a bottle is due and a bit of quiet time.’

Tony didn’t protest at a bottle but instead, tucked his thumb back in his mouth and watched where she traversed with his head resting on her shoulder.

When they got back to the table, she saw Daniel sitting there with an array of Tony’s toys set out he obviously scavenged from the other bag.

‘I thought one of these might pull a smile,’ he said, a tad sheepishly before waving Tony’s precious toy rabbit in front of the toddler. ‘You all right there, anjinho?’

Tony’s eyes lit up. ‘Mr. Peter Rabbit,’ he said softly, happily cuddling the toy where Daniel tucked it into the crook of his arm.

‘You named it.’ Daniel shot her a deadpan expression. ‘Didn’t you?’

‘He was one hour old. An executive decision had to made.’ She settled back down in the booth, Tony on her lap, cuddling the stuffed rabbit right up to his face. ‘It’s a good name, isn’t it, darling?’

Tony smiled softly at her from behind his thumb, looking exhausted just doing that expression.

‘Such a good little man,’ Peggy praised, threading her fingers through his hair. ‘Let’s get you settled with a bottle, darling.’

It showed how tired Tony was that he didn’t say a word, watching her slip the pre-made bottle from out the bag that Jarvis seemed to be able to fill continuously. Even when she gently pulled his thumb from his lips, he didn’t protest and simply opened his mouth expectantly for the bottle, latching on immediately. He didn’t guzzle it down like he used to but instead, gave it languid sucks, more using it as a comfort item then for nutrition any more.

Peggy didn’t complain. This was one of her favourite moments with Tony. His intelligent gaze would move to her, eyes blinking guilelessly up at her. Watching him slowly winding down, brain quietening, allowing his body to as well, was like a special moment very few people were privileged to see. He watched her like she was his whole world. His fingers played along her wrist, until finally they stilled while he fed. He was adorable drinker, moving his head back like each suck was a huge effort. His movements in general were large and it was the sweetest thing to see it transferred to him simply suckling at a bottle, giving little snuffles now and then.

Just when she thought he couldn’t get any more adorable and she couldn’t love him anymore, it always felt to overwhelm her in a beautiful wave at that moment.

Tony’s exhaustion caused him to not even finish half of the bottle, mouth going slack around the nipple. A drip of milk slipped down his chin.

The presence of Daniel shocked Peggy a little, because it was like a blissful bubble enclosed her when she gave Tony a bottle. Just him and her. So when her husband reached over and took the bottle from her, wiping away the bit of milk from Tony’s face, she blinked up at him with surprise.

He leaned his temple on his hand as he watched the two of them. ‘I never see you happier than when you’re with him.’ The little half-smile was on his face while his soulful brown eyes met hers. ‘Most beautiful sight ever.’

‘Charmer,’ Peggy said, trying to sound sarcastic, but it more came out as fond.

‘Hey, I _had_ to be damn charming to get your attention,’ Daniel protested before glancing at Tony again. His expression became distinctly longing.

‘Would you like a hold?’ Peggy asked softly.

Daniel’s eyes widened. ‘Seriously?’

Chuckling, she nodded, suddenly wanting to share with Daniel the feeling she got when holding her darling nephew in her arms; that feeling of complete happiness so powerful, you could almost cry.

Daniel nodded eagerly, already sitting up properly, arranging his arms to take the toddler.

Shifting closer, Peggy gently shifted Tony over, murmuring, ‘Watch his head.’ The movement gained a whine, but other than that, her nephew remained asleep.

‘I got ‘im, I got ‘im,’ Daniel whispered, gently wrapped his sturdy hands around Tony, leaning the toddler against his shoulder, so his forehead was tucked against the crook of Daniel’s neck. ‘I got ‘im’,’ he murmured, one more time.

The toddler stretched in his hold, tiny fingers flexing in the stretch. Both Daniel and Peggy held their breath but after a few seconds, Tony settled back down with a half sigh, half whine.

Daniel melted at the sound. ‘You are just too cute for your own good, aren’t ya?’ he murmured, tucking his chin in to grin down at the peacefully sleeping toddler.

He looked the perfect little angel, thumb now firmly wedged in his soft lips, thick lashes strong against his olive skin, hiding his intelligent gaze. His high cheekbones highlighted his handsomeness, strong nose huffing out tufts of air.

‘It’s a weapon he knows how to use,’ Peggy said fondly, brushing his hair back from his face. Tony snuggled closer to Daniel at the touch, settling even more.

Something in Daniel’s face changed at the movement. Blinking down at Tony, his expression shifted from in awe at holding this life in his hands to such strong kindness, a protective aura forming around him. Leaning down, he pressed a gentle kiss to Tony’s hair, taking in a deep breath.

‘Baby smell,’ he grinned over at her.

She smiled back, seeing what he wasn’t saying. Sliding closer, she leaned into his side. Laying her head on his shoulder, she reached forward and stroked along Tony’s back. It was probably one of the most contented moments she’d had in her life.

Daniel didn’t say anything either. He simply placed a kiss on her forehead and leaned into her as well, recognising that moment of connection she knew he felt as well. The only sound, other than Daniel’s heartbeat, was the soft ‘hmm’ sounds Tony made while sleeping.

Pure happiness. That’s what this was and after the life she lived, she knew how important it was to recognise that and sink into the moment, enjoying something which could be so fleeting. For now though, it was there … and it was beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the fluff lol. Comments and kudos are always greatly appreciated and loved :).
> 
> Peace and Love :).


	4. Let It Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peggy finishes up her day at work with Tony, already planning the next trip, and Tony is reunited with his beloved Jarvis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovely readers :)!
> 
> I feel like I'm back fairly soon-ish :). Yay! And rather than posting a snippet of a new story, I am completing a story! So happy! I have also nearly finished writing This Is Halloween and really hoping to have it posted soon :).
> 
> Also, sorry for my late replies to the previous reviews. I have been sick (I have a recurring health problem). It's nothing serious but I tend to drop off the face of the Earth for awhile when it happens lol!
> 
> For this chapter, I would like to tribute it to Sylbara, who is the loveliest person and has been having a very hard few weeks. I hope this brings you some smiles, lovely, and lots of love to you. 
> 
> Please enjoy! A fluffy ending to a fluffy story. I feel like Agnes in Despicable Me. 'It's so FLUFFY!' lol.
> 
> Excuse my odd sense of humour, I'm tired lol.

The walk back to SSI was leisurely and peaceful. Daniel had been reluctant to give up Tony but couldn’t walk with the toddler so now, he was out to it in the stroller, red blanket tucked in around him. Courtesy of Jarvis’s bottomless packing.

‘It’s been the diaper, hasn’t it?’ Daniel just said as they walked into the elevator. ‘That’s what he’s been upset about most of the day, isn’t it?’

Tony would have been mortified to hear Daniel knew if he was awake. Luckily, he was still completely asleep, sucking on his thumb, rabbit captured in the crook of his elbow. His red blanket slipped down a bit to his waist while his vest had ridden up his tummy, revealing the straps of the diaper.

Peggy nodded and sighed as she reached forward to pull his vest back down as well as tuck the blanket around her nephew. It made her sorry for her little darling that he didn’t realise how easy it was to tell he was wearing a diaper, thinking it was keeping a big secret. It drove home the fact that despite Tony’s advanced intelligence, when it all came down to it, he was just a little boy who was often having far too many expectations placed on him. It hurt more still when she saw him like this, completely at peace with the world, trusting his aunty to keep him safe while he took some much-needed downtime.

Tony was still a baby and _some_ people tended to forget far too easily. Tony included.

‘He was particularly worried what you would think,’ Peggy said softly.

‘Me?’ Daniel frowned in confusion, which turned into anger. ‘People don’t … actually pick on him for it?’

‘Some people make him feel a bit inadequate for it,’ she murmured, hurt at even having to say it out loud.

Daniel didn’t need her to specify; she certainly went into her fair share of rants over the past four years for him to be able to surmise.

‘Lucky he’s got you then.’ Daniel’s smile was so bright and just … truthful that Peggy couldn’t help but be invigorated by it. It was so simple but silently said he had complete faith in her. That belief meant a lot to her when for a time, no one seemed to have faith she could do anything.

Except Daniel. Always Daniel showed he did, even if he never seemed to realise it himself.

She intertwined her fingers in his before they went into the switchboard room. They were delayed when Rose had to coo repeatedly over Tony who was still out to the world, while Jean made not-so-subtle remarks about cosy couples.

When they finally got through, Daniel peeled off to go see if there was any further information on the warrant while Peggy settled back at her desk. Despite only being half past three in the afternoon, it was a lot quieter, only a couple of agents milling about, most probably having left to follow up leads.

Jack was at a desk, talking to Agent Denver in hushed tones before he made his way over to her. She shot him a warning glare before he could start up, pointing to the sleeping boy in the stroller before going back to her report on a case. She had solved it three months ago but there was a huge mess-around with paperwork and she was forced to file follow-up statements.

A glimpse of a soft smile slipped over Jack’s mouth. ‘Exhausted from a day of agenting?’

‘Aren’t we all?’

Jack chuckled in agreement at that before crossing his arms as he watched Tony. ‘Tell me something, Marge. Is Howard ever even _with_ the kid? Whenever I see photos all over the tabloids, it’s him with the butler.’

Peggy grimaced. ‘For once the tabloids are accurate, Jack.’

A darkness flashed over Jack’s features. ‘Always knew Stark was a piece.’

She shrugged at that, not really sure how to comment. Howard Stark was a lot of things but she had always seen some good in him. As the years went on though, the spark seemed to be going out, his obsession with finding Steve having grown from out of nowhere. She thought Maria might be able to settle him but the woman was in a world of her own as well, which she would come out of now and then with her son, but not as often as was necessary.

So, awhile back, Peggy would have defended Howard. Now though? All she could think of was the man who used to be and wish he was that again, at least for his son.

She was brought out of her saddening thoughts as Jack leaned over Tony, cocking his head this way and that, as though examining the sleeping toddler.

‘Funny. He doesn’t _look_ like he’s going to be a future overlord.’

Obviously he overheard her comment to Lewis.

‘Bring me coffee and I’ll put in a good word for you when he rises to power,’ she smirked.

Jack snorted, waving her off. ‘I’ll take my chances,’ he said with an easy grin, before giving her desk a pat. ‘Always nice talking to you, Marge.’

‘Wish I could say likewise, Jack.’ She softened  her words by peering up at him with amused eyes.

‘Ah, shut up, you love me,’ he called softly over his shoulder as he went back into his office.

‘You do enough for all of us.’

Jack waved her off again, not at all perturbed by her winning this round. So unlike what he used to be when he would get upset if he considered her to one-up him. Now, he took what she could dish out and the teasing was good-natured rather than subtle digs at each other.

She was distracted from the file as Tony whimpered in his sleep. Pulling the stroller closer, she began patting his tummy, letting him know someone was close by. Tony stretched in his sleep, arms coming to stretch above him, but soon settled again.

He must have been exhausted from his bouts of tears to be sleeping this long. Smiling softly, she continued to make notes while keeping a hand on his stomach.

Daniel soon came back and without thought, plopped into the chair Tony previously occupied.

‘Warrant’s coming through tomorrow,’ he grinned.

She gave a huff. ‘Now that they finally realise it’s potentially life-threatening.’

‘Pretty much.’

Snorting, she was thrown off what she was going to say next as she felt the small being stir under her fingertips.

Daniel’s attention was immediately drawn to the stroller. He smiled gently as Tony pried his eyes open, rubbing crankily at them.

‘That looked like it was a good nap, anjinho.’

Tony blinked at him for a few seconds. Right before his entire face crumbled and he let out a heart-broken little sob.

Daniel’s face crumbled almost as quick as Tony’s. ‘What’d I do?’ he asked, voice going high in panic.

‘It’s fine, it’s fine,’ Peggy soothed, for benefit of both males, immediately scooping Tony into her arms.

Before she could explain to Daniel the problem, Tony made it pretty self-explanatory.

Pushing away from her shoulder, he stared blearily around the room, bottom lip trembling as he gave another sob.

‘J-Jarvis,’ he cried, squirming miserably. ‘W-Want Jay-Jay.’

Peggy’s heart broke at Tony’s baby name for his beloved butler, something he only slipped into when he was in this sort of regressed state.

It was no surprise though. Despite Tony not saying anything throughout the day, Peggy knew Jarvis was always in the back of his mind and the butler’s absence definitely contributed to Tony’s highly emotional state. And, after a nap, no matter what happened or where he was, Tony _always_ wanted his Jarvis.

‘Oh, little love, he’s not gone forever,’ she cooed, pressing a kiss to his temple and trying to brush his hair back, but he was having none of it. He struggled aimlessly because he was just distraught while he continued to search the room with his eyes, as though waiting for Jarvis to pop out from behind a desk. ‘You’ll be seeing him in half an hour! How short is that, Bubba? Why, your nap time made the time fly by!’

As she continued to speak, Tony came more awake and began to stop struggling against her affection. Though while he dropped his head to her shoulder, he gave another broken sob, whimpering softly, ‘Jay-Jay,’ intermittently.

‘You’ll see him so soon, my darling,’ Peggy continued to soothe, not realising she had automatically gotten to her feet and was walking him around her desk.

Daniel was staring up at her like she was a miracle worker while the few men milling about stared at Tony in fear like they were waiting for him to explode. Most of these people had been shot at but the thing which scared them the most was a child in full-blown crying mode.

‘Really,’ she mouthed, rolling her eyes at the lot of them, though she couldn’t help but smile. Obviously the fear was at a lack of confidence at their own ability to stop a child crying, stemming that horrid helplessness which came with it.

Peggy had experienced her fair share of those moments. While Tony in general always calmed down for her and Jarvis, there were those times, like teething, where it was one of the most painful experiences that she couldn’t do anything to stop the miserable sobs of her little nephew.

She wasn’t surprised that by the time she came back around to Daniel, he already retrieved Tony’s stuffed rabbit and was holding it hopefully out to her.

Softening at her unwittingly endearing husband, she impulsively kissed his cheek before taking the rabbit. She tucked it against Tony, who immediately pulled it into his arms.

This time, she was the recipient of Daniel’s million-watt smile. While she had been on the receiving end a few times, it never made her feel any less beautiful.

‘Thank you,’ she whispered.

‘Welcome,’ he murmured back, always knowing the depth she meant behind the words, because he always gave it back appropriately.

Tony whined when she sat back in her seat but settled down when she started up a steady rhythm of pats on his backside.

Rummaging in the chief’s office caught her attention and she was surprised to see Jack coming back towards them with a baseball in his hand.

‘Does he like stuff like this?’ he asked, trying to come across as gruff, but just sounding unsure as he waved the item vaguely in the air.

It was one of the nicest snippets she’d seen of Jack, but still, she couldn’t resist.

‘Do you mean do children like toys?’ she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, eyes wide and confused.

She may have imagined it, but she thought she heard an amused huff into her shoulder.

Daniel outright laughed.

Jack glared and opened his mouth, most likely to tell him to take a flying leap, but stopped as watery chestnut brown eyes blinked up at him.

‘Hey, sport.’ He tossed the ball from hand to hand. Tony automatically tracked the movement, even while he pressed back into Peggy. ‘You like playing ball?’

Tony whimpered softly, thumb rubbing along his bottom lip.

‘It’s okay, Bubba,’ Peggy soothed, wrapping him up in her arms, rubbing a hand along his tummy. ‘Any answer you give will be just fine. And if you don’t want to give one, that’s fine as well.’

Sometimes, Howard pushed Tony too much with questions and would make him feel bad if he gave the ‘wrong’ answer, overwhelming the toddler. It was the only times Peggy saw Jarvis happily go head-to-head with his employer. She hadn’t even been able to get a word in of support for her old partner in the spy business.

It always caught Howard off-guard, but even the dense genius knew better than to argue with Jarvis over Tony’s well-being. It was one argument Jarvis _never ever_ backed down on.

The first time Peggy saw it, her admiration and respect for Jarvis grew exponentially in that one moment. Even though she was previously convinced she couldn’t respect the man any more than she did, but Jarvis’s capacity for decency never ceased to surprise her.

However, the effects stuck and Tony was often reluctant to answer questions by people he was unsure of, afraid he was going to be pushed into a corner. Whenever he felt trapped, Tony reacted badly, either breaking down or striking back ten times harder if it was other children overwhelming him. He only hit back if it was people he didn’t feel intimidated by as well but she was even starting to see that change as well after an incident where a child pushed Tony on a playground. It hadn’t been bad but it was the first time someone laid a hand on Tony so now he was starting to make his bark ten times vicious then his bite to deter anyone picking on him.

Peggy felt for him; she really did. She couldn’t blame him at all for his pattern of protection and was all for self-defence. She was only trying to teach him not to attack someone verbally before they did anything wrong simply through fear but instead, to decipher whether someone was a friend or foe first.

Tony snuggled closer into her at her reassurance, but his attention was still on Jack. Without his consent, his thumb slipped in his mouth as he gave a soft sniffle.

The callous edge to Jack’s face softened.

‘Here,’ he said softly, going down on one knee, holding up the ball. ‘Wanna catch?’

The boy studied Jack for a moment longer before glancing sideways at Daniel, who gave him an encouraging smile.

‘Play too?’

The words were said so tentatively but it did nothing to damp down Daniel’s enthusiasm.

‘Of course, anjinho,’ he said kindly.

‘What about me, Tony?’ Peggy interjected playfully, blowing lightly on his neck.

Tony squirmed, but didn’t attempt to leave his safety bubble. ‘You can’t,’ he insisted. ‘You’re busy holding me.’

Both Jack and Daniel choked on a laugh, causing Tony to blink up, a dazed little smile crossing his tear-streaked face.

The poor little thing really did adore making people laugh and again, saw they were happy so just went along with it.

‘I know, love,’ Peggy soothed softly, sneakily giving his face a wipe. ‘Aunty was just teasing.’

By the small huff she got, he knew she was on to her but let her clean away before tentatively holding out one hand for Jack to throw him the ball.

‘You’re going to need both hands, champ,’ Daniel said, not unkindly at all, but instead, just how a father would when instructing his son the best way to play catch.

Because of the tone Daniel did it in, Tony had no qualms about taking his thumb out from his mouth and holding both hands out.

‘Like this?’ he asked, eyes wide with hope as he looked up at Daniel.

Daniel’s soulful brown eyes glittered gently. ‘That’s exactly it, kid.’ Taking a chance, he reached out and gave Tony’s hair a gentle ruffle.

Peggy almost gasped out loud when the only reaction that got was a blush. Other than that, Tony didn’t protest, simply stretching out his arms.

‘All right, ready?’ As soon as Jack got a nod, he gave a gentle underarm throw.

Despite hardly having ever played catch, Tony had shown he possessed amazing hand-to-eye coordination in numerous other things so caught it easily.

Tony was absolutely chuffed.

‘Look, Aunty!’ He held the ball up to her face for close inspection.

‘I see, love,’ she praised dutifully. ‘Such a clever boy.’

Tony grinned widely at her before turning to Daniel. Positioning his arm in mimicry of Jack, he also copied the chief’s words exactly.

‘All right, ready?’

Jack rubbed a hand over his mouth to try to hide the tiny, happy smile there but Peggy caught it.

As Peggy always knew, Tony didn’t have to be a future overlord to get everyone wrapped around his little finger.

They played catch for a good ten minutes. By then, Tony was all smiles. He was still quieter then he would have been if it was just Peggy or Jarvis, but still, he was participating, and with two males to top it off.

Peggy really couldn’t be prouder of her boy if she tried.

When Jack had to go back to work and Tony immediately went to hand the ball back, the usually hard man waved his hand in the air, the tiniest of smiles at the corner of his mouth.

‘Keep it for a while, squirt.’ His eyes flicked to Peggy. ‘You can bring it back the next time you come.’

Peggy didn’t even bother to hold back her genuinely grateful smile. It meant a lot to her that Jack was happy to make the effort it would take for another day excursion for Tony to come to work. He had dragged his feet to be a bit of a nuisance this time, but in that one small gesture there, he’d let her know he was more than prepared to make the effort.

Jack cleared his throat, awkward at having shown so much feeling.

‘Sousa needs someone other than me to keep him in line,’ he tried to grumble.

‘Idiot,’ Daniel called easily.

Jack looked like he was about to drop a less than child friendly word but at Peggy’s warning glare, simply settled for saying, ‘Aren’t you meant to be a chief in L.A.? Do you do that little that they don’t miss you when you leave?’ as he walked back to his office.

‘I’m just that competent that I can do it from a distance,’ Daniel retorted.

Peggy was sure Jack heard but he pretended he didn’t, pretending to get enraptured by his work.

Tony watched the exchange with cheekily glittering eyes, chuckling throatily at Daniel’s last insult.

Daniel winked at him, which gained a mischievous grin.

There was going to be a throwback to this conversation, Peggy just knew it.

‘All right, little love,’ Peggy bounced her knees gently. ‘What do you say we start getting organised to go meet up with Jarvis?’

Tony nodded enthusiastically, all too happy to help her pack away her things and his toys from previously while Daniel went back to his desk to finish up on a few things. While he would head out later, he and Peggy would probably get back home at the same time by the time she got Tony settled back with Jarvis. From experience, it would take a while for Tony to be happy to let her go. She would be providing numerous promises she was most certainly coming back and very soon.

There were already plans in place for Peggy to spend the weekend with the two of them. Three, if Ana didn’t have to go see her friend again. And with how well today went, she was hoping Daniel would be able to be added to those plans as well, particularly that he and Jarvis got on quite spectacularly now, despite their rather rough start.

She wasn’t really one to talk; she had effectively decked Jarvis the first time she met him, something he took great joy in teasing her about now. Never in front of Tony though. The poor boy burst into tears if Jarvis so much as stubbed his toe.

Her words were also the perfect way to approach the next diaper change. Tony was a about to break down about it but she convinced him it needed to be done before they could meet up with Jarvis. The poor toddler suffered through it with an air of a person who really didn’t want to do something but was doing it for the sake of someone else. But not without a great sacrifice on their part.

However, most worry seemed to have gone out of Tony and while he certainly didn’t enjoy the process, he didn’t burst into tears either.

‘Such a brave man for your aunty, aren’t you, my darling?’ Peggy cooed to him softly as she lifted him into her arms from the changing table.

Only slightly teary, Tony still hummed in the affirmative, cuddling into her shoulder, as they went back into the main area.

‘We’re off,’ Peggy announced to Daniel, Tony only emerging from his hiding place when he realised who she was talking to.

Grinning, Daniel pushed himself to his feet, managing to balance by leaning on his desk without his crutch.

‘I had the best time spending time with you today, Tony,’ Daniel said, voice completely genuine, not full of that fake enthusiastic tone adults often used to humour children. ‘Thanks for coming in today.’

He held out his hand, still just as gentle and not shoving it into Tony’s space.

Tony blushed at the words but looked extremely pleased at the compliment. With only the slightest amount of hesitation now, he reached out and shook Daniel’s hand, giggling as Daniel clutched his wrist in exaggeration, exclaiming, ‘Damn, what a grip!’

‘That’s silly,’ Tony pronounced, wrapping his arms around Peggy’s neck, a bit shy at saying his mind.

Daniel winked at him. ‘I’ve heard a certain someone knows how to be silly as well.’

The chestnut brown eyes took on that mischievous glitter. ‘Maybe a little,’ he said, voice going high with cheekiness.

‘Maybe a lot,’ Peggy teased, giving him a quick tickle, gaining another giggle before exchanging a quick kiss with Daniel.

Not exactly by choice either. Tony immediately whined, pushing at her cheek to dislodge the kiss.

Peggy laughed. ‘All right, my love, I get the picture.’

‘Yucky,’ Tony glared firmly at her.

Daniel smirked. ‘You mightn’t always think so, champ.’

‘Will,’ Tony shot back stubbornly.

Her husband glanced in amusement at her. ‘Doesn’t remind me of you at all.’

‘Not in the least.’ Peggy kissed her nephew’s cheek, causing the frown to ease, smiling wanly at her. ‘See you tonight.’

‘I won’t be too late.’

While Peggy easily steered the stroller out, Tony occupied himself with waving goodbye to Daniel. He burst into giggles as her husband turned it into a game of peek-a-boo, ducking behind his hand now and then, much to the toddler’s delight.

Daniel had won himself enough points today to last him a lifetime. The warmth Peggy felt for him today was the most special she ever had because he hadn’t just connected with Tony; Daniel had connected with another part of her soul, which was exactly what Tony was to her.

Her nephew was still smiling by the time they got out on to the street after saying goodbye to Rose and Jean. The nap had truly done him wonders, forgetting all about his trauma from earlier that day.

It was so Tony. Forever bouncing back, never one to be held down long by anything.

He perked up even more when emerging outside. The toddler twisted this way and that, searching for the tall figure he knew so well. The butler usually towered over everyone.

Peggy smiled as she managed to spy Jarvis first, exactly where they parked before. Even though he was also forever punctual, she suspected he was p there a good thirty minutes before the agreed upon time. He would have been pining for Tony as much as Tony was for him.

She could pick the exact moment Tony spotted his beloved butler. His little body went stiff with excitement while the breathless gasp he gave was absolutely precious. A joyous cry erupted from the toddler, loud and clear on the quietening street.

‘JARVIS!’

Jarvis’s eyes snapped to them. The sweetest smile broke out on to his face while his youthful green eyes warmed, even making Peggy feel safe, let alone what the expression meant to Tony.

‘Hello, my young master,’ he called lovingly, immediately breaking into a jog.

That wasn’t fast enough for Tony. He wriggled fiercely to get out of Peggy’s arms and this time, she granted it. It was no mystery exactly where he was going. Or, more to the point, _who_ was going to.

As soon as she sat him down, Tony was off like a shot, legs carrying him as fast as they could.

Not caring for his immaculate suit, Jarvis kneeled on the sidewalk, scooping Tony up and into the air, laughing, kind old eyes shining.

‘There’s my cheeky sweetheart.’ He brought Tony down to give him a kiss on his laughing lips, before holding him up in the air again. ‘There he is!’

‘Jay-Jay!’ Tony squealed, making grabby hands at Jarvis, arms just that little too short to be able to touch Jarvis’s face.

Jarvis completely melted at the nickname. ‘Oh, Anthony,’ he cooed, bringing Tony into a huge cuddle, large hand protectively curling around the toddler’s crown. ‘You have no idea how much I’ve missed seeing that smile, young Anthony.’

Tony threw his arms around Jarvis’s neck, cuddling as tight as possible. ‘I missed you _heaps_ , Jarvis,’ he proclaimed, pulling back to give his butler a sloppy kiss on the cheek. ‘I woke up and, and you weren’t there and I, um, I cried, but Aunty made me feel, uh … um happy again but I still, still missed you, Jarvis.’

Jarvis’s expression became worried during the explanation but gentle relief came on to his face when Tony got to the final part of his little story.

‘I knew your aunty would make sure were as happy as could be,’ he said softly, finally looking over to Peggy.

She’d watched the whole exchange with the warmest of hearts and at Jarvis’s trusting words, she glowed that bit more.

Jarvis really couldn’t give a bigger compliment than to let her know she had taken sufficient care of Tony. It meant so much to her, more than any mission she’d ever had.

‘I have a lot to live up to, Mister Jarvis,’ she said, giving his arm a squeeze.

Jarvis simply patted his chest, indicating his heart, and nodded softly to her. The most subtle of exchanges but Peggy knew what it meant.

She knew Jarvis as he knew her. Every single part, none of which she would ever trade, and she knew it was the same for her from him.

Tony perked up at her voice, sitting up, but still clutching tightly on to Jarvis’s suit coat.

‘I met Daniel again, Jarvis,’ he stated happily.

Jarvis and Peggy shared an indulgent smile, knowing very well the amount of stories Tony was going to be passing on from today.

‘Is that so, young sir?’

‘Yep! He taught me origami!’

‘My! That does sound lovely.’

‘Yeah. He said, um, that, that his first one was like a, a duck!’

‘Did it really?’

‘Yep! Didn’t he say that, Aunty Peggy?’

‘He most certainly did, my little light.’

That was how the rest of the evening went, Tony regaling story after story to Jarvis, looking to Peggy now and then to confirm the wondrous events he was recalling. Jarvis was just as enthusiastic to be back with his little master as Tony was with him, giving Tony his full attention and hardly letting the toddler out of his arms. There were no protests from the young Stark heir in the least.

It was a dream ending to a dream day for Peggy. Her dreams hadn’t often come true in her life so it wasn’t lost on her just how special a happy ending it truly was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are always very appreciated :).
> 
> Also, almost forgot! Some very exciting news! One of my original short stories has placed runner-up in a competition in Australia. I'm kind of stoked and feeling very inspired to just keep on writing :). Thanks so much to the support I've gotten on here, thinking I can make something out of my writing. You have no idea how much your support has inspired me and just kept me pushing on and on :). Lots of love to you guys.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos make my fluff-generating little writer's heart so happy :).
> 
> Thanks, as always, to all of the support. Lots of love :).


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